


Gods and Monsters.

by xerxezra



Category: FriendSim - Fandom, Hiveswap, Homestuck
Genre: Angst, F/M, Smut, female reader!!!, idiots to lovers, it be like that, lanque - kismesis, marvus - matesprit, tagora - moirail, what more could one ask for?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2019-10-02 19:25:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 65,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17269658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xerxezra/pseuds/xerxezra
Summary: You've finally lost your innocence. Do you still get to keep your soul?Did you have it to begin with?





	1. Carmen.

**Author's Note:**

> _Darling, darling, doesn't have a problem_  
>  Lying to herself 'cause her liquor's top shelf  
> It's alarming honestly how charming she can be  
> Fooling everyone, telling them she's having fun...  
> \- Lana Del Rey 

In retrospect, you should have known better. 

Of all the Alternians you had crossed paths with, you had a sneaking suspicion that Lanque was one of the most dangerous. You sensed his volatile capriciousness the instant he had set eyes on you after tossing away Lynera like a rag doll. 

And you knew he would do the same to you — except you currently found yourself pressed up against a door with your legs wrapped around his slender waist, and when he nipped your lower lip and dipped his tongue into your open mouth, digging his perfectly manicured claws into your thighs, you found yourself unwilling to complain. 

Your fingers tangled themselves into his short hair, marveling at how soft and sleek it felt in stark contrast to the solid obstruction of his horns. He jolted ever so slightly as you accidentally grazed the base of a horn, and unsure of whether or not that had been in warning or anticipation, you decided to test the boundaries by gently trailing your fingertips along the sloped curve. The sharp tip dug into the back of your hand, but you welcomed the pain.

You were rewarded with a rumbling purr against your lips. Victory was doused in short order when he pulled away to look at your flustered state, his facade stubbornly pristine compared to your flushed cheeks and graceless panting. You wanted him to steal your breath again. 

“How badly do you Want this, babe?” he teasingly asked, unashamedly grinning at your frustrated expression. 

A shiver shot down your spine at the sound of his nickname for you, but you would not let him win. You ground your hips against his in answer, hoping that the nuanced signal transcended species and told him to hurry the fuck up. 

He hummed and curled his hands beneath your ass, matching your movement with a slow, deliberate thrust as you loosened his shirt from his shoulders, smoothing your heated touch along his exposed sinewy chest. A flash of green at his sides nearly stole your attention before you found yourself shoved roughly against the door. You gasped as he angled his head to latch onto your neck with a sucking kiss, all teeth and tongue and fangs that dared to draw blood, and you could not help the desperate moan that escaped you. 

The seat of your panties was completely soaked by now. You prayed to the Mirthful Messiahs that Lanque had something to fill you up in all the ways that counted, and suddenly your rash decision hit you like a ton of bricks. How were you planning to make this work without understanding troll anatomy? 

It seemed Lanque was too far gone to consider this point. Somehow your bra had been unclipped during your panicked rumination, and you arched your back when he pinched your nipple and circled it with the pad of his thumb. You sneaked a quick look at him to see whether he was put off by your alien features, but he caught you in the act and hid his face in your neck once more. 

Lower and lower his lips travelled, licking a trail down your pulse and across an exposed shoulder as your cape slid down your body. Lanque released his hold on your legs and pressed his hands against your abdomen, his fingers instinctively curling around your sides as though in search of something. You flinched and giggled at the ticklish sensation, meekly looking down at his inscrutable expression as he narrowed his eyes up at you. 

“You’re cute when you pout,” you innocently remarked. 

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before pursing his lips and swiftly moving his hands down your hips to drag your shorts and stockings down in one go. You braced yourself against the door and stepped out of the clothing pile to toe off your shoes, shyly spreading your legs as his touch trailed teasingly closer to the edge of your panties. 

Lanque kneeling before you with hooded eyes and a cocky grin was a sight to behold. You were sure he was ready to jump straight to the goal of the evening with how he stared at you, but he continued his maddening kisses along your abdomen and skirting your clothed crotch to nip at your quivering thighs. 

It was driving you mad. You caressed his horns with all the finesse you could muster in your sensitized state and canted your hips towards him, earning you a chuckle and a chastising bite to your inner thigh. A part of you wondered if he was taking this long because he was reluctant find out what lurked behind your underwear, but that thought was immediately stamped down as you felt him curl a finger into the band at your waist and finally tug the last bit of clothing down, and of _course_ he would do it as slowly as he possibly could, just to get a rise out of you. 

You were finally completely bare, shivering lightly from the exposed air as Lanque regarded you with clinical curiosity. 

“Hmm.” He brazenly trailed a finger through your wet folds. “And What am I supposed to do With this?”

Damn. Straight to the point. You nervously shuffled in place and decided to simply show him, leading his slick finger to your clit and moved it in tight circular motions. “This is where it feels the best,” you explained with a quiver in your voice, and you ignored his unimpressed stare as you moved his finger down to slip into your cunt. “And this is where … you know.” 

“Ah!” Lanque instantly perked up, adding a second finger as he pumped them in unison. “Perhaps We are not quite so different after all,” he mused, holding your hips still to prevent you from grinding into his touch while those maddeningly long digits entered you to the last knuckle. 

You were torn between wanting to watch him and closing your eyes from pleasure. “ _Lanque,"_ you whimpered, and bit your lip at the slip-up. He smirked at your loss of self control and pulled out his fingers, examining the slickness left behind. 

And when he held your stare as he licked his fingers clean, your last shred of decency finally snapped. Lanque was still wearing far too much clothing, you decided, and you pushed him back onto the carpeted floor to straddle his waist as he let out an undignified yelp. He looked disarmingly attractive whenever he lost his composure, just as he had on the dance floor when Bronya appeared, but you had the sneaking suspicion that pointing out his moments of weakness would only rile him up. 

You tossed your thought aside and sought out his lips for more blackberry flavored kisses. He indulged your demands with ease, letting your tongue to tangle with his as he wrapped his arms around you. But you were far past simple kissing now. You abruptly ended the kiss and continued your exploration down his chest while he folded his arms behind his head and lazily watched you.

Green reappeared at the edge of your vision when you reached the top of his pants. You paused and leaned up a bit, curiously noting the twin pair of jade streaks at either side of his lower torso. “Grub scars,” he briskly explained, rolling his hips up in impatience. Clearly, this was not going to be a learning experience for you. 

That’s fine, you thought. You were feeling rather restless yourself, and with that thought fueling your renewed determination, you helped him out of the rest of his clothing and settled atop him once more, eager to ride some alien dick for the first time in your life. 

Except nothing made sense down there. What the hell were you looking at? No alien dick in sight. 

Lanque was waiting for your next move, and damn did that cold silence unnerve you and remind you of your inadequacies. You felt your spirits falter and whither. 

“You really don’t knoW What you’re doing, do you?” You stuttered under the weight of his sharp, judgmental stare. He allowed you to flounder in your embarrassment for a moment longer before sighing, and you were suddenly face to face with a deceptively saccharine smile as he brought you down for a rough kiss. 

He pulled away from you to breathe. “I — I’m sor — “ you began, and ended in a startled gasp as you found yourself flipped over to lay sprawled over the rug, with Lanque straddling your hips and leaning over you. 

He cupped your cheek and pressed a thumb over your lips. “No need for that,” he cooed. “The fault is mine, for haVing been presumptuous. After all, I’d imagine you Wouldn’t find many suitors, looking the Way you do …” 

You bristled at that. This guy really had a gift for landing low blows at inopportune moments, didn’t he? 

Whether Lanque sensed your discomfort or not, you did not know. But having his full weight pressed against your overheated body offered you far more bliss than winning an argument could offer, and you decided to let his snide remark slide for now. 

One of his hands grasped the back of your knee to lift your leg a little higher. You obediently endured his manhandling, captivated by his half-sneer, half-smile. So lost in admiration were you that you were entirely thrown off by the feeling of something cold and wet and thick slide between your folds, giving you just the right amount of stimulation against your clit as you arched your back and moaned. 

“Are you ready for me, darling?” Lanque asked, and it didn’t matter how sarcastically he said that damn nickname because _yes_ you were beyond ready, canting your hips in anticipation and seeking out more of that strange texture until he entered you with a single, powerful thrust. 

Oh. Oh, that felt — 

God, you haven’t ever felt this _full._

Your mouth parted in a silent gasp as Lanque hilted himself inside you, and a small part of you thrilled at the state of him — quivering and grasping onto you, breath quickened and eyes shut tight, and those sharp fangs digging into his bottom lip so harshly that you thought he might draw blood. You smoothed your hands down his sides and accidentally grazed the grub scars, startling Lanque out of his momentary trance. If you focused hard enough through the dim light, you could see his black pupils constricted like a wild feline, dangerous and staring right at you. 

“I didn’t think you Would be so damn burning _hot,"_ he rasped, and — and — what the fuck, you feel him wriggling inside you — 

No time to think. Lanque was on you in seconds, pressing you into the floor as his hand dug into the back of your thigh while he began his experimental thrusts, rolling his hips in purposeful strokes and bottoming out with each motion. Your head fell back in defeat, unable to watch any further; not when he was fucking you so thoroughly, dragging out shameless moans and shaky sighs from you. 

It hurt, if you were being honest with yourself. He was long and wide at the base, and certain angles had you wincing and shrinking back in pain. But Lanque was none the wiser, or he simply did not care — that wicked mouth swallowed your cries, wet and sloppy and formless in the heat of the moment. Your hands had tangled themselves in his hair, and for one brief instant you thought you smelled a flowery scent that had not been there before, but it was gone in a flash when Lanque angled a particular thrust upward and you were seeing stars, it felt so fucking good despite the pain. 

Belatedly, you realized you had tugged on his hair a little too hard in response, but the strange sound it elicited from him — a sort of half cry, half moan — sent a wave of pleasure throughout your body. You loosened your grip and carded your fingers through the black locks, and you were sure he did not like that, perhaps it was a little too intimate for his taste, because he roughly grabbed your wrists and pinned them over your head with a low growl. 

The lewd sound of wetness and ragged breathing drowned out the distant party music. For a brief moment you were reminded of your predicament — getting railed by an alien stranger in the same house where you nearly died — and as Lanque buried his face against your neck to stifle his cries, you wondered to yourself … how did you get to this point? 

The old you would never have agreed to this, friendship or not. You would have followed after Lynera to comfort her, or at the very least, you would have tried to keep her away from the mature themes of party life. Some friend you were. 

But perhaps the night was still salvageable. After all, you were getting rather … friendly with this handsome young man currently moving his bulge within you in the strangest sort of movement that would have been impossible for humans. He was oddly silent now, compared to his chattier demeanor a short while ago. 

_He’s using you,_ a quiet voice filtered through your head, taunting and warning you all at once. _Just like all the rest. You’re a puppet, can’t you see that?_

A sharp stab of worry pierced through your hazy lust. 

No. _No!_

You wrapped yourself around Lanque, legs tight against his hips and arms dragging him close enough to cross the remaining distance between your bodies. His cool touch was soothing to your overheated skin. Your hand trailed upward and curved along the back of his neck, and you thoughtlessly nuzzled against his temple. 

_Please don’t let this be a bad ending —_

Fuck. You might have said that out loud. 

It disarmed him. His hips stilled for the briefest of moments, and pressed as his face was into the crook of your neck, you could feel his jaw clench, razor-sharp teeth so dangerously close to your exposed skin. One wrong move and he could spill your filthy blood, the sin of your species and the sin of your clumsy mouth that never ceased to say the wrong words. 

Lanque tore away from your embrace and held your hands above your head once more, redoubling his efforts to pound into you so harshly that you simply could not speak, could not beg him for more, for him to touch your clit because you’re so damn close now — 

“Let me tell you a little secret,” Lanque snarled low, baring his fangs at you. “There is no happy ending on this miserable planet.” You could feel his bulge writhing erratically inside you, the tension in his muscles locking you in place as he took control, and you attempted to squeak out a response in vain except he had already turned away from you, squeezing your wrists so tightly you whimpered in pain as he shakily murmured, _”Not for any of us."_

Just a little bit more. That’s all you needed, just a little bit more. But to your unbridled dismay, a flood of liquid heat suddenly gushed all over your inner thighs as Lanque pulled out with a quiet hiss. The startling empty feeling between your legs combined with the ache of denied release nearly doused your arousal altogether if not for the fact that Lanque was staring at his mess with an air of curiosity. 

Could you anticipate a round two? Trolls had an extraordinary stamina, after all. You were quite ready and willing, too. 

Except Lanque wordlessly removed himself from you entirely with an air of composed finality. You clumsily leaned up to look at the jade-colored genetic material he smeared all over you — and none on himself, you noticed — and willed away the stammering of your heart. 

He did not even acknowledge you as he redressed. Your burning arousal simmered down with each unnerving minute of silence. Shame was starting to rear its ugly head, until you remembered with sudden clarity why you had ended up like this in the first place. 

Friendship. Because that’s what mattered in the end, right? _That’s_ your happy ending. 

Lanque proceeded to crush that naive narrative with his signature ruthlessness. 

You should have known better. 

And then he was gone without so much as a backwards glance. You fought back the sting of tears and shakily reached for your cape, wiping away the genetic material clinging to your skin and desperately trying to remove its evidence from Ardata’s carpet, lest she throw you into her red room for ruining her property. 

You could not stop the disappointment welling up in your weary heart. It was a familiar feeling by now for some odd reason, as though you had felt the pain of lost friendship over and over and over again — 

Before you could wander down that spiraling road of self-hatred, all of your bitterness crumbled away like sand. 

What were you so upset about, you wondered to yourself as you struggled to stand. 

What was the point of getting worked up over this? All of your lamentations meant nothing — they could not change the past, and they certainly would not move the future. You were a puppet to a warped narrative, and you would relive your guilt over and over again.

You will persist, and you will continue. You will, because you want to.

Because you _have_ to.


	2. Cruel World.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Because you’re young, you’re wild, you’re free_  
>  You dance in circles around me  
> You’re fucking crazy  
> Oh, oh  
> You’re crazy for me...  
> \- Lana Del Rey 
> 
>   
> a/n: hello my dear readers, please check out this lovely [fanart](https://xerxezra.tumblr.com/post/181981133977/compositecreature-chapter-two-is-very-very) that compositecreature drew for this chapter!!  
> 

You bided your time with the Soleil twins after escaping the abandoned mansion together. Something told you that this was to be the end of your journey, and yet you were unwilling to come to terms with the depressing thought. So when the wilderness beckoned you to embark on another round of aimless wandering, you bit back the urge to answer its calls. 

Barzum and Baizli were more than happy to distract you from your worries. Where once you shied away from them in fear, now you gleefully sat through their choreographed performances and entertained them in turn with stories of your adventures. You never imagined yourself to develop such a fondness for children, but all of the young trolls you had befriended sparked a bit of hope within you — no matter how bleak Alternian society might be, there were still remnants of innocence. 

You wondered if the twins would have enjoyed Karako’s company. Did Bronya allow him to frequent his blood cast’s church? 

Bronya. You should visit her soon; it’s been quite a while, and you have yet to check up on Lynera apart from the brief texts you exchanged during your stay with the twins. Perhaps you could play with the grubs — you needed to feel useful again. 

_Your body has been fairly useful._ No. You were not going to think about that damn jadeblood. 

You suggested a trip to the church in an effort to quell your ridiculous existential crisis. They were becoming embarrassingly frequent lately, and you could not afford to fall into a deep depression after having amassed so many wonderful friends. Why hadn’t you been relying more on them instead of flitting about like a social butterfly for superficial connections? 

With a newfound determined attitude, you set off with the young trolls to find some sort of comfort in their strange religion. Chahut greeted you with a warm smile as you situated yourself on one of the rickety chairs and continued with her sermon. Barzum and Baizli were enthusiastically whispering to themselves about how much they had missed the church while trapped at the mansion, allowing you a moment of peaceful solitude. You leaned back in your chair and looked up at the multicolored ceiling, a light smile playing on your lips as you recalled hazy memories of a carousel, and falling into a blissful sleep with Karako in your arms. 

A heavy thud came from the seat beside you. You tilted your head and saw Marvus’s easygoing expression staring back at you. “Waddup lil buddy, funny seein u here lol.” 

You grinned in earnest now, happy to see your friend. And quite a handsome one, at that. “What can I say — this place just reels me in. I feel safe here, somehow.” 

Marvus nodded slowly and patted your knee. “The mirthful messiahs b protektin us buddy.”

“Amen to that,” you replied, letting Chahut’s deep, droning gospel tether you to the moment. 

The air was saturated with a sugary smell wafting from the purple candles on the altar. A tingling sensation creeped up your body, as though you wanted to join the other purplebloods in their honks and whoops at Chahut’s every word. You might be getting a bit high from the fumes. 

Was it a sense of belonging that kindled the fire of elation within you? You felt like flying, reaching out past the colorful hues coating the ceiling to become one with the dark carnival all over again.

You have never felt more real. 

Marvus’s comforting presence was all you needed in order to clear the fog of doubt that had plagued you. Somehow, you suspected he understood your place in the world far better than you did. Hadn’t he once talked about timelines and reality with you? 

Or maybe you were too busy stuffing your face with food as he fed you, too captivated by his charm to really listen. 

Wait, maybe you were remembering wrong. Marvus had definitely brought up the hemospectrum and the oppression of his cast. 

You closed your eyes and slumped against him. Without question, his arm settled around your shoulders. You smiled to yourself and decided not to think about the past. There were new memories to be made, after all. And you had plenty of friends to make memories with.

-

Unfortunately, you would learn that new memories were to be made with trolls who were distinctly _not_ your friends. One such person who had climbed his way to the top of the list was Lanque, and in a cruel twist of fate, you somehow managed to cross his path once more.

Your evening was supposed to be fun! Remele was hosting a party for highbloods to garner socialite points or whatever her reasoning had been; as soon as you heard about the dancing, you had stopped listening to details. Even your faux pas with regards to asking Tagora for fashion pointers had worked in your favor. He pampered you with a brand new dress and agreed to letting you use the iridescent lotion that had once made Galekh mistake you for a rainbow drinker, blushing all the while as he explained your mission — get some dirt on Remele to help him win his plagiarism case against her. 

Would you do it? Would you sell out one friend in favor of another? 

As you checked yourself out in Tagora’s full-length mirror, you decided to let luck guide your way. Since when have you ever been a planner, anyway. The furthest you’d gone with brilliant planning was to invite Stelsa with you, and boy did she squeal in glee at the offer. The two of you had taken great care in pampering each other at her home before heading out, and throughout your drive to Remele’s abode, you could not help grinning at how well things were going for you for once.

And here you currently found yourself, locked in a staring contest with Lanque from across the room. Oh, how _lucky_ you were. 

A bubbly ceruleanblood pressed close to him singlehandedly continued the conversation as he folded his arms and dragged his gaze along your body. He regarded you with the same distasteful sneer he threw at Lynera after roasting her. You hated how he managed to still look attractive with that sour face. 

A passing partygoer broke the stare-off. When you managed to catch sight of him again, he was focusing all of his attention on his friend and blatantly ignoring you. Should you go confront him? 

You chose to keep yourself busy instead. What good would it do to stir up complicated drama in the middle of a public event? Besides, you were trying to be classy for once in your life. You didn’t lather up your leg struts with Tagora’s elixir for nothing, after all. The old you, scavenging for scraps of clothing from dumpsters, was a thing of the past. Now, you were as close to presentable as you had ever been on this godforsaken planet, and damn it did you deserve a drink for all of your troubles. 

Remele had excused herself some time ago to speak with Stelsa after the energetic troll had gone off on a ten minute tangent about loving her webcomic. Left by yourself and feeling uncharacteristically awkward, you made your way to a table with what you assumed to be refreshments, and reluctantly picked up the most appetizing drink available. It glowed a dull red hue and shimmered in the light. You prayed this wasn’t some sort of filtered blood before taking a small sip. A sharp fruity flavor coated your tongue, and you hummed in pleasure as you helped yourself to more. 

“Careful there, don’t drink too much … lest you actually become _fun”._ You peered over the lid of your cup. There he was, Lanque in all his bitchy glory, smirking down at you as the ceruleanblood clung to his arm and giggled at you with mortified curiosity. 

You gripped your cup and sighed. “Hello, Lanque. Are we really doing this?” 

His friend narrowed her eyes at you and haughtily asked, “Whaaat aaare you supposed to be? Aaa deformed lusus?” Lanque chuckled and earned a fawning look from her. 

You rolled your eyes. “Never seen a rainbow drinker before, I take it.” 

Her overdramatic gasp was music to your ears. But before the silly girl could hightail it out of the party, Lanque gripped her by the forearm and sneered, “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s the alien eVeryone’s been raVing about.” He cast a snooty look at you and added, "A Very underWhelming one.” 

“Oh my, look aaat how _red_ her faaace is turning! I caaan’t believe I missed spotting thaaat hideous blood, how silly of me!” 

“See, darling? Underneath all that makeup, she’s quite the boring creature.” 

If you held your cup any tighter, you might crush it. And spilling this presumably expensive drink all over your good friend’s flooring would hardly be appropriate, would it? You were not an uncouth person. 

But you were not the most tactful person, either. 

“How am I boring, exactly?” you asked through gritted teeth, loathing the fact that your height forced you to look up at his smirking, punchable, beautiful face. “You hardly know me.” 

_”Hardly?”_ A tittering laugh escaped him as he hid his cruel smile behind a hand. “As I recall it, We became fairly _intimately_ acquainted, last We met.” 

”Whaaat!” his friend shrieked, pulling at Lanque's arm with such gusto that his polished facade cracked into a displeased grimace. “Whaaat does thaaat mean, deaaar? You paaailed with this — this ugly thing?!”

“It Was certainly … a Very interesting experience.” 

You thought you had grown accustomed by now to how repulsed most trolls were by your human physique. But Lanque had seen you at your most vulnerable, he had even seemed somewhat into you during your tryst, and now he had the _nerve_ to mock you like this? You didn’t know whether to scream or cry. You chose to set down your drink on the table instead, ruefully looking away.

“The noVelty of it all Wore off quite fast,” he continued, leering at you as he spoke. “She just Wasn’t that _good_ — “

And suddenly, a very unfriendly retort tore its way out of you, like a sweltering bile of pent up anger that could no longer be contained. 

_“Like you were any better.”_

Lanque’s smile faltered. 

The flood gates broke open. 

“Don’t you dare stand there and act all high and mighty, like you were some kind of blessing I squandered,” you hissed, stalking up to him with each bitter word. _“You didn’t even get me off!”_

A peel of snickering broke through the ensuing silence. Lanque stared down at you with such a blank expression that, for a split second, you wondered if your words were getting through to him at all. But the rising jade colored flush staining his cheeks, the contracted pupils and quickened breathing brought you a sickening sense of justice. 

When had you become so aggressive? 

“Was it because you didn’t feel like putting any effort into it?” you asked, secretly wishing for an answer. "Or because you’re so used to getting what you want that you don’t know how to care about anyone other than yourself?” 

“Oh my …” the ceruleanblood whispered in a sing-song voice as she looked between you two, and you were seconds away from snapping at this invasive bitch before Lanque’s eyes flickered behind you, and a large hand settled over your shoulder. 

“Hey there lil mama,” a familiar voice rumbled above you. 

That smooth tone instantly lulled you into a happier mood. _“Marvus,”_ you greeted with a smile, looking up at him and feeling your heart swell at his dopey grin. 

“Wuz wondering if u’ll be bustin thiz shitshow,” he said, sticking his tongue out at you. “Now it’s a par-tayyy!”

You heard excited whispers in the distance — no doubt Lanque’s friend losing her cool over Marvus’s arrival. A small part of you desperately wanted to see Lanque’s reaction as well, but you were utterly done with him. 

“I’m just here for the dancing,” you replied, ignoring _someone’s_ rude scoff and focusing on how Marvus’s thumb ran circles along the divot between your neck and shoulder. 

“ ♥ And you certainly look the part ♥ ,” another voice chimed in near you. A very unwelcome voice. The voice of someone who was arguably more horrible than everyone in this room combined.

You glanced at Zebruh as he winked at you and threw you a shark-like smile that chilled you to the bone. Oh, what wonderful friends you have. “Zebruh, th — thank you,” you stammered, inching backwards until you felt Marvus’s solid form against you. “What are you doing here?”

“My dear, I am a connoisseur of the arts, a true patron and supporter of Alternia’s most brilliant artist,” he raved, and turned his adoring gaze to Marvus. Knowing what you know now about how the purplebloods perceived him, you bit back a giggle. “ ♥ But when I found out Alternia’s greatest musician would be here as well, I simply could not resist making an appearance! ♥ “

“Aw thx lol,” Marvus quickly said. You could hear the strain in his voice, and decided to pat his hand gently. The poor man just could not catch a break from his crazy fans. 

Lanque’s eyes followed your hand movement, much to your ignorance. His friend chose this precise moment to bounce up to Marvus in unrestrained glee, unable to hold in her excitement any longer. “I — I just — I waaannaaa saaay how much I love your work aaand aaand aaand _I love you!_ ” she cried out, gripping her hands together as though in prayer. 

Zebruh was on her — and by association, Lanque — in an instant, sidling up between them. He tutted your name in displeasure and said, “Now, don’t be rude. ♣ Who are these two lovely guests? ♣ ” His hands settled on both of their shoulders, and they reeled back in opposite directions, with the ceruleanblood struggling to escape and Lanque baring his fangs in a wide snarl. You almost felt bad for him.

“Get your fucking hand _off — "_

“Yo dog why don’t u keep ‘em bizzay while me and the lil shorty buzz off for a bit k thx,” Marvus butted in, and suddenly you were being lifted off the ground and cradled against his broad chest and your mind was short circuiting from the drama of it all. You love your clown friends so much. 

You whispered a grateful thank you to your savior and peeked over his shoulder one last time. Lanque had managed to dislodge himself from Zebruh’s hold while the indigoblood petulantly sulked off after the girl. 

And when you finally met his hardened stare, you could have sworn a hint of color bloomed across his face once more. He must be really angry by now, you wondered as you were led away. Maybe you managed to make him jealous of Marvus for stealing you. 

_Yeah right,_ you sardonically thought. More like he was jealous of _you_ for being swept up by a gorgeous highblood. 

“U lookin’ fiiine tonite babe,” Marvus quietly said into your ear. 

You looped your arms around his neck and smiled to yourself.


	3. Off to the Races.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _My ... man is a tough man_  
>  But he's got a soul as sweet as blood red jam  
> And he shows me,  
> He knows me  
> Every inch of my tar-black soul...  
> \- Lana Del Rey 

You didn’t see Lanque for the rest of the evening, which was all fine and well once you were two drinks into some serious shit on the dance floor. Remele certainly knew her audience — the purplebloods in attendance had quickly taken control once they trickled in with fashionable lateness, and everything had been set up for the ensuing clownery that followed. With Marvus at your side and your veins flooded with dubious alcohol, you felt nigh unstoppable, letting loose your inhibitions among a sea of trolls who would have killed you on the spot in a fit of capriciousness. 

But a few of the clowns had come by to ruffle your hair and honk at you in recognition for having been a frequent presence in the church. You’ve certainly come far from the days of running for your life and getting trapped in an alleyway with a purpleblood seconds away from bludgeoning you to death. You kind of like them now. 

And you definitely liked the way Marvus watched you as you swayed to the dizzying rhythm of pulsating music. Even his hands caressing your bare skin sent ripples of ticklish excitement throughout your body. It felt so different from when you had danced with Lanque. More on your terms, so to speak, and thus more thrilling. All in good fun, you thought. It’s not like he was serious about his flirting, anyway.

The purplebloods finished off the party with a frenzy of rapping that Marvus felt compelled to join. Stelsa had found her way to your side and eagerly followed your lead as you both giggled and danced your sanity away. You recognized some of Marvus’s lyrics from a few performances you had attended, and screamed your head off with the crowd as you sang along, feeling the heat of the lighting and the blurring colors collapsing all over you in swirling synesthesia, until you embraced the euphoric sensations and became one with the music. 

_Chucklevoodoos,_ a voice whispered through the cracks of your fraying mind. 

_Who cares,_ you answered back. _I want this. I want this._

_I feel whole._

Marvus was watching you. You felt compelled to direct your entire attention solely to him, not to any other highblood or to Stelsa but to _him_ and him alone, and for a moment you heard the cheers of partygoers distorted into screams of pain before he beckoned you over with his arms spread out in theatrical showmanship. You clawed your way through the masses and into his waiting embrace, laughing for no reason and yet there was _every_ reason to laugh — 

“Snap out of it babe,” he said as he directed the microphone away from him, and even though the cracks were suddenly breaking and collapsing like shattered glass, all you could think of was how he said it just for you, only you, only you — 

“What if I don’t want to,” you whispered, but nobody heard your admission. 

As your fingers dug into the lapels of his jacket, you pressed up against him and scanned the crowd in a moment of clarity. Stelsa. Was she safe? Did you imagine all of the blood and death and fire? 

Marvus’s arm was wrapped around your back as he held you close during the madness. You ran a shaky hand through your hair and wondered where the night would lead, because the highbloods were getting a little too rowdy. A gentle pat to your behind pulled you out of your thoughts, and you threw a scandalized look to Marvus as he grinned down at you. With the microphone poised before him, he called out to the partygoers, “Hey.”

That simple word held all the weight of an important command. The crowd fell silent, and a shiver rolled down your spine. You pressed your forehead to his side and tried to make yourself seem as small as possible, conscious of being stared at by so many people. 

“Yall havin a good time??” The crowd roared to life in answer. “Lemme hear u give it up for the mutherfxxer who made it all happen, ufeelme?!”

Amidst the chorus of cheers, Remele bounced up to the clearing where Marvus waited for her, snatching the microphone out of his hand and baring her fangs in a wide smile as she addressed her attendees. You huffed a quiet laugh as you listened to her shill out her latest art pieces and advertise her gallery. 

“ — and I woulde like to thank one of my best supporters, my very goode friend and my darling _muse!"_

You jerked your head towards Remele as she zeroed in on you. “Please, no — “ you begged, but she already grabbed hold of your upper arm and snatched you out of Marvus’s embrace. You looked back at him in a silent plea, but he only winked at you and flashed his toothy grin. 

Remele whirled you around to face the crowd. The spotlight was on you now. 

You meekly waved and prayed for the ground to swallow you whole. “Tonighte, dear guests, I have a confession to make,” she dramatically said, her eyes flashing in excitement. “Were it not for our resident alien, my gallery might never have gotten so muche recognition! Because _she_ was responsible for the gruesome murder of a highbloode mere steps from my gallery, all of those perigees ago!"

 _”Remele!”_ you screamed in a whisper, withering away from the crowd as it erupted into bewildered laughter and indiscernible heckling. “What are you doing?! They’re going to _kill me!”_

And not just the attendees, but _Marvus_ , too. God, you could hardly bring yourself to look at him, because even though Remele was technically the one who killed the purpleblood, you were still pathetic enough to get yourself into trouble in the first place, and the last thing you ever wanted was for him to catch wind of your fucked up escapades, and now your mind was racing a mile a minute but Marvus was just looking at you with raised eyebrows, and he didn’t look angry, just _thoughtful_ — 

“Oh, relax,” Remele cut into your mental breakdown, ignoring your attempts to claw your way out of her grasp — she was ridiculously strong — and continued her speech. “In honor of my muse, I have channeled my inspiration for that fateful nighte to create — “ She threw her arm out in a wide arc and directed everyone’s attention to a covered canvas mounted to a wall. _” — this!”_

A rustblood scuttled over as if on cue and tore down the white fabric covering the canvas. All eyes were on Remele’s latest painting. Perhaps now was your chance to abscond? Maybe you could use this precious time to find Stelsa and hightail it out of here with one last ‘fuck you’ to Lanque — 

Except your attention was entirely captured by the painting as soon as you dared to glance at it. 

You were the subject, pressed flat against a dark wall and limbs splayed out like a cheesy damsel in distress, gripping the brick behind you as you stared at the viewer, all wide-eyed and afraid. And, much to your mortification, you were _naked_ — or rather, lacking any sort of clothing while retaining no bodily features characteristic of your sex. Remele had never seen you naked, after all. Rather imaginative of her to paint you completely sexless and alabaster white, with red and purple stains blotched over your figure as though you were covered in blood. 

What the _fuck_ , Remele. Did you really look that pathetic to her that night? 

Your mouth simply hung open in shock while the audience ascertained the painting with thoughtful murmurs. Remele waited with baited breath, whispering to you, _”Just you waite and see, I’m gonna be fuqueing loaded after this!”_

Suddenly, a voice rose high over the crowd and called out what appeared to be a price. 

Remele squeeled. You felt your soul leave your body. That better not have been Zebruh. 

As if on cue, an intense bidding war began over the painting. You closed your eyes and hung your head, letting Remele flop your arm around like a limp noodle in joy as the price rose higher and higher still. This was it — your lowest point. Your cowardly self on display for other people’s pleasure, awaiting a lifetime of being gawked at by a privileged highblood. And worst of all, you weren’t even going to get a cut of the profits. 

Within minutes, the haggling price had skyrocketed to what you imagined to be astronomical numbers. Most of the bidders had dropped out as well, with just a select few voices trying to outbid each other. A small part of you was surprised that they hadn’t attempted to resolve the conflict with good, old-fashioned murder and mayhem. Judging by the growing agitation in the bidders’ voices and the heckling of the crowd, that outcome might not be far off from the future. 

And indeed mayhem ensued. Four highbloods had rendered each other into a pile of limbs and — and _bicycle horns_ — before Remele threw her hand into the air and called out, “Looks like it’s time to wrap this shitshowe up! Going once, going twice, to the gentlemane with the facepaint and broken horne — "

A hand came down over your head and ruffled your hair. Somehow, you knew everything would be okay. 

“Na b i’ma take dat home tonite,” Marvus cut Remele off. “I’ll take it for dubble tha price k :o)“

 _”Solde!”_ she shouted into the microphone, and you breathed a sigh of audible relief.

Yet your momentary reprieve was ruined once you realized that Marvus had spent a ridiculous amount of money on a scandalous painting that he had no need for. A sense of guilt hung over you as Marvus waited for the canvas to be brought to him, keeping a steadying grip on your shoulder and commanding someone nearby to hand over the payment on his behalf. 

“You really didn’t have to do that, Marvus,” you quietly said, tugging on his sleeve to catch his attention. 

He merely grinned. “I did dis for a more selfish reason than u think.”

“Why? Don’t tell me you actually _wanted_ that thing?” 

“Fxxk yea i did brohime, i wanna b lookin at dis erry day to remember i got one dangerous lil mama who could knock me flat on my azz n paint da walls w my blood. Shit’s hot yo.” 

“I’m sorry to break the fantasy, but Remele was pretty much embellishing her story. I didn’t actually kill anyone, I would _never_ do that!” you whined.

“Mebbe not _then_ ,” he said, his eyes staring straight through you as though he knew more than you let on. “But u prolly did a whole lotta damage to otha ppl jus by being on dis planet. A wicked shorty like u can’t survive here for dis long w/o causing sum mischief. Basically, u iz one dangerous lil alien.”

Discomfort gripped your heart. Marvus was right; you _were_ inadvertently responsible for a few deaths. Thankfully none of your friends suffered from your magnetic ability to welcome danger — 

_— Karako bleeding out from his stab wounds, seadwellers laughing in the distance —_

_— Daraya engulfed in flames as she fought through the pain —_

_— Boldir’s life withering away right before your eyes —_

_— Zebruh’s limbs torn apart in a frenzy of bloodlust —_

You jolted and blinked through a haze of phosphenes coloring your vision. What were you thinking about again?

“Hey, it b ok u know.” Right, Marvus. Focus back on him. The painting is under his arm now, mercifully covered up so you didn’t have to look at it again. You welcomed the cold seeping into the skin of your shoulder from his touch. “U ain’t gotta b lookin so sad, doll. It just b dat way around here.” 

You sucked in a shaky breath and mustered up a smile. “I know. And I guess if there’s anyone who I’d rather keep the painting, it would be you.”

Marvus lightly papped you on the cheek with the back of his hand. But before he could get a word in, Remele suddenly draped herself over you from behind. “Hello my sweete muse, please text me whenever you’re free againe; I’m going to make a livinge off of you!”

“Of course," you hastily replied, eager to worm your way out of her grasp and disappear. “I’m so … _grateful_ that you painted such a — a charming rendition of me. You’ve truly outdone yourself!”

“It’s fxxkn aces,” Marvus pipped up.

“Thank you so muche!” she gushed, and you had a sneaking suspicion she was amping up the charm for his sake. Her tactics were so shameless sometimes, but you loved her for it. You weren’t that much different from her in that regard. 

“By the way, Remele, have you seen my friend Stesla anywhere around here? You know, the tealblood who speaks without stopping to breathe.” 

“Ummm,” Remele hummed, tapping her cheek with a finger as she looked around. “She shoulde be lurking somewhere in the back, methinks. Thanks for introducing us, she’s gonna be so fuqueing useful in the long run. Juste like you!” 

“How kind of you to say,” you humorlessly said. 

“Mhm! Anyway, I muste get going. Goodbye, sweete muse!” And off she went, gone in a flash to conduct more mischief. 

Marvus tapped you atop your head. “Hey.” You looked up to his sneaky face. “U lookin about as done w all dis as i b. Wanna bounce?” 

Oh you sure as fuck _did_. The weight of tonight’s eventful party was finally starting to come down on you. “How do you _always_ know? I’m starting to think you have some sort of savior complex.” 

“Juss for funny lil hornless aliens who hang around weirdos.”

“Are you a weirdo, too, Marvus?”

He wiggled his eyebrows at you. “Hellz yea fam, but maybe not as much as u.” 

“I am _not!"_ you laughed, lightly swatting his forearm as you two walked towards where your instincts told you Stesla might be. “But seriously, thank you for getting me out of here."

“Don’t b thankin me just yet lil mama — maybe I got sum nefarious plans cookin in my think pan,” he teased and winked. 

You chuckled. “I’m sure whatever you’re thinking of would be a million times preferable to being mobbed by frenzied trolls.” 

“Ye tru. Lemme take u home, babe. Need me a lil bit of company in my sicknasty limo.”

“Oh, you didn’t come here with the other purplebloods?”

The corner of his grin turned up higher. “Sure did, but they ain’t who i’m lookin’ to take home tonite.”

You furrowed your brows at the strange phrasing — _why would Marvus be so eager to take me back to my dilapidated hive instead of enjoying his friends’ wild company_ — but Stesla’s fashionable physique was in sight beside the restrooms, dabbing her face with a small powder puff while looking into a compact mirror. You called out to her in greeting, and she instantly perked up, hiding her cosmetics away in her purse before skipping up to you.

“OH MY GOODNESS DARLING THERE YOU ARE I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER GET TO YOU TONIGHT HOW ARE YOU DID YOU SEE THAT INCREDIBLE PAINTING MY IT WAS SIMPLY EXQUISITE I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT _THE_ MARVUS XOLOTO ACQUIRED IT — “

You practically pounced on her with a killer hug that would have knocked the air out of a human. But Stelsa was a force of nature in her own right, and as such, merely squeaked and hugged you back. 

“I am feeling a little overwhelmed right now, Stelsa,” you confessed, murmuring into her chest before slinking out of her grasp to look at her. “I think I’m ready to leave now. Did you want to stay a little longer, or can I drop you off back home?” 

“I SIMPLY CANNOT LEAVE JUST YET THERE IS STILL MUCH TO DISCUSS WITH REMELE AND SO MANY NEW POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO MEET HERE I WILL HAVE TO STAY BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME PLEASE HURRY ON HOME AND REST YOU MUST BE EXHAUSTED AFTER THAT BIDDING DEBACLE AND I SEE THAT A CERTAIN SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR YOU — “ Stelsa peered over the top of your head in the least discrete way possible. Unbeknownst to you, Marvus waved back. “MY OH MY IT’S A GOOD THING I MANAGED TO PRIMP YOU UP BEFORE THE PARTY JUST LOOK AT YOU GETTING LUCKY HMMM?”

Your mind had wandered during her monologuing, so it took you a moment for her last statement to shock you back into reality. “Th — that, that isn’t what’s happening!” you hissed in a quiet whisper, blushing brightly at her implication. “He’s just my ride home, don’t be preposterous. Anyway, are you sure you’ll manage on your own here? I’m worried about leaving you with all of these highbloods around. What if you get caught in another deadly moshpit or whatever?” 

Stelsa giggled and placed her hands on her hips. “DON’T BE SILLY I CAN HANDLE MYSELF JUST FINE I DON’T WORK OUT FOR NOTHING YOU KNOW.” Oh, that’s right. You forgot Stelsa was ripped. 

“I’ll trust you … but I’m not letting you go that easy!” You fished out your phone and quickly got to texting. “I’m going to let Tyzias know that I need to leave you here. And you better send me a message when you get home, or else I’ll go looking for you, and you know what happens when I have a mission in mind; things can either go horribly right or horribly wrong — “

“YES YES DARLING I WILL BE SURE TO DO SO THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A LOVELY FRIEND NOW DON’T KEEP YOUR OTHER FRIEND WAITING TOODLES AND BE SAFE!”

She urged you along before you could get another word in, and you nearly stumbled like a clumsy fool if not for Marvus catching your fall. “Reddy reddy, buddy?”

“Ready ready,” you breathlessly replied, graciously allowing him to lead you away hand-in-hand. 

The crowd parted for the both of you on your way out. You caught a glimpse of a few glares and reddened eyes being thrown at you, and if you had a death wish, you might have stuck your tongue out at them. But you were a flimsy human with too much to lose now, so you stared straight ahead and focused on matching Marvus’s quick strides. 

The quietness of the outside was jarring to your senses after enduring the loud music and boisterous socializing. Alternia's twin moons cast their colored rays onto your shimmering skin, lighting it up in a dazzling shine that could not meet its full potential under artificial light. Your vibrant glow must have caught Marvus's attention — he turned to look at you with widened eyes and paused his step. “Damn, lil mama,” he smoothly cooed, beckoning you into a twirl as he admired you from all angles. “Now I know I said earlier that u be lookin good an all dat, but dis is sum wild shit.”

You giggled. “It’s just the wicked glow of the Mirthful Messiahs watching over me,” you said and pointed to the sky with a smile. “Get it? Two moons, two prophets.” 

“Amen, baby. The messiahs are errywhere and in errything,” he replied, guiding you towards the limo with an arm swung around your shoulders. 

The driver was waiting patiently, bowing in respect as he opened the door for you. For a brief moment, you spared Lanque one final thought and wondered how his night had gone after your mini feud got cut short. But with Marvus hot on your heel as you clamored into the limo, you decided that your mental energy had better trolls to focus on.


	4. Honeymoon - Part 1.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a/n: this chapter was becoming insanely long, so i had to cut it in half! the next part will be up by the end of the week, thank you everyone for being so patient and supportive of my work so far!!! <3 
> 
> this chapter is also known as: _in which the limo becomes the ultimate wingman._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _There are violets in your eyes_  
>  There are guns that blaze around you  
> There are roses in between my thighs and fire that surrounds you  
> It's no wonder every man in town had neither fought nor found you ...  
> \- Lana Del Rey 

You were propped up on Marvus’s lap from the moment the chauffeur closed the door behind him. It was a rather intimate gesture, but Marvus had insisted, and you knew him well enough by now to expect this sort of behavior from him. You even questioned him once about his tendency to always touch you, and he had claimed it was because he enjoyed your warmth, so you happily obliged his cold-blooded yearnings. 

Marvus had chosen his singular seat that was strategically placed between a mini fridge and a bartop upon which rested several bottles of faygo. You discretely scrunched your nose as he took a generous chug. Not even the atmospheric tunes playing from the speakers could appease your rising hatred for that drink. 

But Marvus mistook your leering for thirst, apparently. “Wanna lil taste?” he offered, jostling the faygo with a slight shake.

Would it be rude to refuse? Would it go against his religion, even? “Is this the same faygo they serve during service … ?” you asked, remembering how Chahut had prompted you to partake in the ritualistic consumption. 

“Na b dis ain’t the cheap shit, u gotta try it.” 

You hesitantly accepted the bottle, using both hands to tip it up. The cold, acrid nectar electrified your taste buds with its overpowering sweetness. With the amount of sugar and other obscure additives mixed into this noxious concoction, no wonder the purplebloods were prone to sporadic bouts of madness. 

The limo rolled over a bump and made you spill some of the faygo from the corner of your mouth. “Damn it,” you muttered, wiping it away with your hand as you leaned over Marvus’s lap to set the bottle down, unaware of his gaze on your lips. 

Before you could settle back into place, Marvus caught hold of your wrist. You felt your pulse quicken — was he upset with how you’re conducting yourself, wasting his favorite drink? 

Judging by his cheeky grin and hooded eyes, you knew that was not the case. 

Your anxiety disappeared instantly, only to be replaced with frozen shock as his tongue darted out to slowly lick away the sticky faygo on the back of your hand. 

“Wh — I — _Marvus_ — “ 

“Can’t let it go ta waste, ya no wat i’m sayin?” he cheekily said as you wiped off his spit on your dress. “So, wat b da verdict?”

God, you still felt the residual chill on your hand from his tongue. It had been so wet and smooth — 

“Yo buddy, u gud?”

_What would it feel like in other places —_

You snapped out of your wandering thoughts and prayed you weren’t blushing too hard. “Wh — what? Oh, it’s … it’s something, alright,” you meekly replied.

Marvus chuckled. “Don't stress it babe, i can see u ain’t too keen on da wicked elixir. It b written all over your face.” 

You smoothed your hands over your cheeks and cursed the heat blossoming forth. “Don’t tease me, Marv,” you whined, turning away from him. 

He gently grabbed your wrists and pried your hands away with ease, smiling at your mock pout. “I juss can’t help myself. Look at dat cute redness all over u. How’s a bro supposed to resist makin u flush, ‘specially when i no it’s all for me?"

Revealing one’s blood color to another was considered to be an intimate display of trust, as you’d learned when you first met Vikare. Maybe Marvus was just eager for some reassurance of your friendship? Troll culture sure is confusing.

A short buzz saved you from further provocation. Marvus seemed almost disappointed by the interruption, judging by how his smile fell into a flat line. But he excused himself all the same, busying himself with his palmhusk while grumbling about not getting enough free time. 

You were tempted to check out the television, but the remote was cast away on another seat, and Marvus had tightened his hold around your waist while he spoke to someone who might have been his manager. Trapped as you were, you simply leaned onto his shoulder and looked outside, letting the ambient rap streaming from the speakers set the mood.

Through the tinted windows you could make out towering high-rises and neon signs flaring with Alternian government propaganda. A particular sign caught your eye for a brief moment as it passed by — written into a giant billboard in magenta were the words, _the revolution will not be televised, because it does not exist_. 

Marvus snapped his fingers in front of you, prompting you to look up. He was startlingly close, you realized, and you very nearly got lost in those impossibly dark eyes before he asked, “Whachu thinkin abt, babe?” 

You regarded him silently. 

Here you were, legs propped up over the lap of a dangerous highblood. He had finished with his phone call, grazing his knuckles over the expanse of your leg. Strange, how you felt completely at ease with him, despite knowing what he was capable of. You were not an idiot — Marvus could command thousands of mindless trolls with the same flair of a ringleader in a circus, fanning the flames of crowd-induced mania simply for his own convenience. Blood spilled for his sake, sacrificial lambs led to a euphoric slaughter. 

The propaganda sign was still burned into the back of your retinas, a haunting after-image that colored your world a dizzying lime, and you were reminded of Tyzias’s hushed whispers of a caste long-forgotten, lost to the depths of a magenta shadow. 

Dead. The limebloods were all dead, as decreed by the Condesce. 

_Limelight_ , you thought. The focus of public attention. How ironic. 

Marvus would one day have to carry out the Condesce's whims. He was certainly fit for it, having honed his craft as a global superstar. All of his life had been dedicated to his adoring fans, painstakingly perfecting his performances with an avid devotion to not only the populace, but to his very namesake, to whom he was destined to become. 

And that is precisely why you pitied him. How different could his livelihood have been, how evolved beyond its empty meaning could it become, if only he could create music for music’s sake. Not for an inevitable life of servitude, forced to use his powers to control the masses. 

If only he knew what true freedom meant. Not that your world was perfect by any means, but still, you wondered. 

“I was thinking about music,” you replied. 

He quirked a brow. “Don’t leave me hanging like dis now, i gots to b knowin wat’s cooking in that funky think pan of yours.” 

“Well,” you started, wondering if what you were about to say was considered heretical. “I was just wondering what music means for your people. For _my_ people, it’s traditionally been used for all sorts of reasons, but at its core, music has always been a form of self-expression, rebellion, and spreading messages of awareness. You know, like … problems with our society, and stuff.” 

You paused and glanced at Marvus. Nothing about him seemed out of place — except behind his ever-present grin and hooded eyes hid a keen glint of intuitive understanding. “Dont lemme stop u bb,” he said with a wink. “I like to hear u spit sum faxxual truths at me abt alien culture.”

“You’re not going to rip me in half for saying these things?” You knew he wouldn’t, but it was your turn to tease.

Marvus had the decency to look scandalized. “Daaayum, dat hit me rite in the blood pusher,” he dramatically replied, slapping a hand over his chest. “I ain’t never given u no reason to think i’d hurt u!”

You smiled softly at his genuine concern, shuffling around for a moment to bring your knees on either side of his hips. Marvus looked a little out of sorts with your repositioning, eyes roaming over your further-exposed thighs as your dress rode up from straddling him. 

“I know you wouldn’t hurt me,” you quietly said, placing your hand over his. “But I’ve been on this planet long enough to know danger when I see it.” 

His fingers entwined with yours. “Damn strait, cuz.” He brought your hand up to his lips and gave a quick nip to your fingertips, gently so as to not scratch. You snatched it back with a giggle. “But btwn u and me, i think u’d give me a run for my cas$$shmunny, hunnie.” 

“How so?” 

He tapped two fingers against your temple. “The danger b all up in here.” 

“The only thing dangerous about me is my _lack_ of a brain — er, a think pan.” 

“Na don’t sell urself short like dat, i b tellin u dat u wouldn’t have survived without sum street smarts.” 

“That’s what I thought in the beginning,” you wistfully said. “Until I started realizing how my life has turned into an endless stream of do-overs. At this point, I’m more inclined to think that there is a higher power watching over me, guiding my way.” 

Marvus hummed in answer, short and deep and with a hint of questioning. “Hey babe, lemme axe u sumthin.” 

You wordlessly nodded, sobering up from the sudden change in mood. This was, perhaps, the first time you had ever seen him with such a thoughtful look on his face. 

“You really believe in the Dark Carnival, sis?” His eyes appeared to flash with each passing lamp post, like a dangerous creature prowling in the darkness. 

Long ago, you might have hesitated. Longer still, you might have faked your devotion in favor of friendship. Now, though … now you knew with resounding certainty.

“I really do,” you answered. 

“How do u no for a fact?” 

“Because I’ve been there.” Marvus frowned and leaned back against his chair. You did not let his skepticism deter you. “I died once, you know. I don’t _really_ remember it, but I know it happened because whenever I’m in church, I can practically feel myself being lifted into another plane of existence. And — and there was a carousel,” you animatedly recalled, each bit of recollection stringing together lost memories until it felt like you were there again. “There were two angels who came to get my body, and there were weird mannequins occupying the other horses on the carousel, and there were paintings of clowns with smiles and frowns ... And a purple figure holding something, and there was a lot of red and green — “ 

Marvus placed a hand against your cheek, and you felt your zealous excitement cool down to a happy daze. “Either u hittin da incense too hard, or dat was a mutherfxxn prophetic vision.” 

“I dunno,” you slurred, leaning into his touch. “But it was real, Marvus. It was fucking _real_ , and the only time I’ve ever really felt at peace since I got here.”

“Shiiiiit, lil mama,” he breathed in awe, running his fingers through your hair before grabbing your waist. “I ain’t gonna doubt u no more. If da messiahs deemed u fit for such an honor, then i fxxn bow to u.” 

You giggled. “You do that anyway! Since I’m so short, ya see.” 

“Yea, short n sweet,” he rumbled low, and you felt his touch run down your sides to end up at your thighs. At this point, you were fairly convinced he had a fixation. 

It took a moment to catch up with his words. There you go again with your blushing. “Wh — what are you saying … “ you trailed off, shyly looking away.

“Only truths,” he replied. “Cuz all i see is truths all over u. Your skin b glowin like its covered in sum kinda special stardust n shit. Makes perfect sense tho.” He bared his sharp fangs in a wide smile, his eyes raking up and down your form as you felt his hands grip your thighs a little tighter. “Them leg struts b a muthafuxxin miracle, babe. And that’s a true _fact_ , strait up.”

You felt the gears turning in your head while you processed what he said. Was he … ? 

“Oh!” You leaned in towards him and bunched your hands into the fabric of his coat. Marvus craned his neck to bring his face closer to yours — for what reason, you couldn’t imagine — and it almost looked like he planned to close his eyes before you excitedly spoke, “You’re talking about that sparkly powder you guys use during prayer, right? And you use this stardust to pray for miracles, ergo my strut sticks, which apparently even the Grand Highblood approves of. That’s pretty poetic, Marvus. You really have a way with words! Although I guess you have to be, since it’s quite literally your livelihood."

Holy hell were you rambling.

Marvus reared back, eyes wide and mouth pursed in confusion. Whatever he saw in your oblivious face had him soften his expression, a light smile playing on his lips. “Pfft. Yea, lil mama.” 

The limo suddenly lurched. You were propelled face-forward into Marvus’s chest, and you were tempted to compare his pecks to airbags, but that was too gauche, even by your standards. 

“Sorry!” you squeaked, ready to scoot back to put some respectful distance between you, but his hands found their way around you and held you in place. 

This was intimate. This was _far_ more intimate than his usual touchy-feely self. You were frozen in hesitation, a bundle of nerves and unexplored emotions rising to the forefront of your mind. “Marvus … ?” 

You couldn’t see his face, but you could feel him. Solid, sinewy flesh pressed against your cheek, cold to the touch and yet pulsing with a living beat. 

“Wanna know another fact?” he quietly asked. You slowly nodded, and he continued, “You’re kinda one dense mofo, too.” 

Well, that took a turn you were not expecting. Marvus loosened his grip to let you look at him face on. Your nose wrinkled in confusion as he watched you with an amused expression. “What do you mean?” 

“Babe. Do i rly gots to spell it out for u? Maybe free-style some sicknasty beats to get dem thots cookin in ur think pan?”

You opened your mouth to speak before closing it to think for a moment. The prospect seemed rather exciting; how many people had the privilege of having this talented troll customize a rap for them? “I wouldn’t turn down a verse from you.” 

“ :o) “ He reached out to carefully tuck your hair behind an ear — your heart fluttered — and leaned in to murmur:

_”Lover lovin herself all up on me,_  
Luscious hips, all curves and dips,  
And a burning touch  
That I just gotta worship like an effigy  
Ya hear me baby — “ 

Your hands clenched into fists against his chest. 

_“Red flushin and rushin like a river that flows  
I wanna b known how far down it goes."_

You felt your breath leave your body. 

Marvus finally leaned back to gauge your reaction. God, he was so close, hypnotizing you with those deadly bedroom eyes. You couldn’t look away. “Catch my drift now?”

It was at this very moment that your predicament became utterly, embarrassingly aware to you. “You wanted to pail me this whole time?!” 

“Ye ;o) “ 

“But — but _why?”_

He furrowed his brows and tilted his head. “Whutchu mean why?"

You felt your cheeks burn as the onslaught of past remarks about your appearance surged forth to the forefront of your mind. “Because I’m not attractive to your kind,” you bluntly replied. “I’ve been compared to a mutated lusus, for goodness sake!”

“Hahaha lol!” 

“That’s not _funny!”_ You lightly smacked your palm against his shoulder. 

Marvus settled down from his laughing bout, completely unperturbed by your attack. “U ain’t gotta give those muthafxxkas any of ur time or energy. Who gives a damn wat they b thinkin, they ain’t the ones who get to have u at the end of the nite. I like u for ur cute lil booty — “ He shamelessly patted your behind, and you admitted to yourself that it wasn’t an unwelcome advance. “ — and most of all, i fxxks whichu for how chill n funny u are. So don’t be all up and worried bout any of dat. Wouldn’t have u here otherwise.” 

It was time for one of your famous, long-winded internal monologues.

Did you want this? Did you feel attracted to Marvus Xoloto?

Hell fucking yes, don’t ask yourself such stupid questions. 

With that out of the way, on to the next point of consideration — were you ready to accept his propositioning? 

Oh, how badly you wanted to say yes. The urge for friendship had long ago morphed into a consuming hunger for stronger bonds. You had even caved in to your whimsical desires and became rather well acquainted with troll anatomy … except everything crashed and burned right after your romp. 

Lanque’s cutthroat critique bore into your heart and grew there like a festering wound ever since that fateful night. As such, you could not help but wonder whether Marvus would find you boring, too. Even worse than that, you wondered whether he was doing this to satisfy some sick curiosity about your body. Just another exotic thing to cross off his bucket list. 

You did not want to believe those dark thoughts. Marvus had _never_ treated you badly before — in fact, all evidence pointed to the contrary, that he was genuinely into you. But try as you might, your self-confidence was at an all time low. You were afraid to open up again. 

Marvus patiently waited while you chewed on your bottom lip and looked away. As soon as your face darkened, he was there to reel you back in with a tap against your nose. You snapped out of your thoughts and drew your attention to him, afraid to see him irate or disappointed by your silence. Instead, you found him to be his usual smiling self. 

“Don’t stress it so hard, cuz. U ain’t gotta do anythin u aint keen on, ya dig? I’ma getchu home like i promised, and we gonna forget dis happened.” 

It should have been enough. You should have been happy with his suggestion, eager to put this all behind you and remain platonic friends, because you were still hurting from your last tryst. 

So why did you feel bothered? 

Marvus pressed a button off to the side of his armrest, and the driver’s voice crackled through a nearby speaker. _“Yes sir?”_

You were about to miss out on an important situation, your senses told you. And you needed to make a choice. 

Some other you chose the sensible route. Some other you would return to your watchtower and never get this opportunity again. 

But _you_ were strong enough to push through your doubts, right when it mattered most. 

You grabbed hold of his loosened bowtie — 

“Sup buddy, we gotta — “

— and yanked him down to your level, smashing your lips against his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please crucify me for having the nerve to write lyrics for marvus, i feel like i've insulted his talent with my weak poetry. forgive me, i hope you didn't cringe too hard.
> 
> inspiration for the billboard is based on [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaoXAwl9kw) by Gil Scott-Heron.


	5. Honeymoon - Part 2.

Marvus spared no time for surprise. His hands instantly found their way around your waist and cradled the back of your head as he tilted his face sideways to deepen the kiss, moaning low from pleasure when your tongue dipped into his mouth. You very nearly had forgotten to breathe during your shameless, sloppy kissing, ignoring the taste of faygo and the metallic tinge of facepaint as you pressed yourself against him, winding your fingers in his thick mane of hair. 

_”Sir?”_ the intercom crackled. 

Marvus tore away from you for a second to quickly answer, “Nevermind,” and you were drawn to each other once more in a haze of magnetic lust. 

Your body was on _fire._ Where did your life go so right that you ended up in the lap of Alternia’s most handsome clown? 

His lips were as soft as you anticipated, skillfully moving against yours with such precision that you knew he had practiced this many times, keeping his fangs hidden away in an effort to not hurt you. But that didn’t stop you from nipping his lower lip, earning a strange sort of rumble from deep within his chest, like an odd clicking noise that almost sounded like a purr. 

_Was that a good sign? Or did you hurt him? Maybe you shouldn’t have done that._

_Maybe you were being as stupid as Lanque said you were._

Before your anxiety had the chance to fully surface, Marvus hummed against your lips and eased the kiss to a gentle finish. Some of the white paint around his mouth had smudged and stained your cheeks. His hand came up to cradle your face as his thumb stroked the smear away. All you could do was stare back at him and pant, waiting for his verdict as his dilated eyes examined your messy state. 

“What’s it gonna b, pretty lil mama?” he rasped. 

This was it — one final confirmation before you got down with the clown. But you needed to be _sure._

“I’m afraid of disappointing you,” you admitted, flushing at the admission. You could trust him with your emotions. You knew that much, at least. 

His eyes widened, and the hand at your cheek glided down to rest on your shoulder. “Where is dis comin from?” 

“W — well, there’s just so much I don’t know about your, like, _anatomy_ , and stuff … I’ve only been with a troll once and it didn’t exactly go too well — “ Marvus quirked a brow and frowned slightly, but you pressed on. “ — so I don’t want you to think less of me if I do something wrong, or … I dunno.” 

Rambling _again._ Go, you. 

You promptly shut up and looked down at his ridiculous, loose bowtie, unable to meet his eyes. The soothing feeling of his other arm holding you securely reassured you that perhaps you didn’t fuck things up entirely by now. 

“Babe, i dunno if u know dis, but a brotha ain’t ever been w a human either.” 

Leave it to Marvus to crack a joke in the middle of a serious discussion. Your mouth pressed into a thin line, in sharp contrast with the smile tugging at the corner of your lips. You lowered your head a little more and murmured, “That’s not a limiting factor for you trolls, apparently. Me, on the other hand … let’s just say my performance wasn’t rated that well.” 

Your name rumbled forth, said so meaningfully and with a tone that coaxed you to finally look at him again. “I wouldn’t do that to you,” Marvus said, and your breath caught in your throat when you realized he had dropped his speech quirk for you. For _you_ , to show you how serious he was. 

You felt your walls breaking down, replaced with a dizzying excitement that set your nerves ablaze with desire for him. “I believe you,” you quietly replied, and after a moment of hesitation, you took the hand on your shoulder and pressed it to your breast, holding it there while Marvus gave an experimental squeeze. With an air of resolution, you steeled your willpower and said, “I want to pail with you, Marvus.” 

His smile could not grow any wider. “We gonna go slow, baby,” he cooed, bringing his other hand to your neglected breast to tease out breathy moans from you. You arched into his touch and felt your eyes flutter shut. “Damn, u lucky dis da first time, or else i’d be takin u against the floor by now.” 

Fuck, you liked the sound of that. Dirty images floated through your mind as you brought him down for a kiss, letting the tip of his tongue trace your lower lip while his hands skirted down your chest, smoothing their way down your sides, and curling up around the short hem of your dress with clear intent. You shifted in his lap to make your dress ride up your thighs, and after a teasing, gyrating grind from his hips against yours, you broke away from his lips to let him slide the dress off of you. 

Thank goodness Tagora had convinced you to get rid of your tattered undergarments for the event. You had whined to him that nobody would even see you in a state of undress — _they are so damn comfortable and you know I don’t have many clothes to begin with_ — which ended with him going on an endless tirade about not letting his friends look like hobos. 

_You’re going to look presentable because my good name is bound to you now,_ he had harped while ushering you into a boutique. _And don’t worry, I fully expect you to compensate me for this expenditure at a later date._

So here you were, sporting a modest yet enticing set of matching undergarments. The fact that they had teal stitching had gone unnoticed in favor of Marvus caressing every inch of your skin, skirting your sides and eliciting a squirm and stifled giggle from you. Gods, you were _not_ about to repeat that scene. It couldn’t be a coincidence that _two_ trolls had went for your sides like that. Damn you for your weaknesses. 

But Marvus merely snickered and repeated his action, maneuvering his way through your wriggling and high-pitched yelps as you tried to swat his hands away. “U iz sensitive as _fxxk_ ,” he quipped. 

“I can’t _help_ it, cut it out!” you squealed with a laugh, struggling to pry his fingers off of you. 

Marvus finally relented, opting to blindside you by pulling you against his chest and immediately burrowing his face into the crook of your shoulder, nipping teasing bites along your skin before transitioning to a wet, open-mouthed kiss near your jawline. You sighed and melted at how good it felt, squirming helplessly at the combined sensation of his scraping teeth and cold, soft tongue. 

His hands snuck their way behind you to open the clasp of your bra with one brisk motion. Some distant part of your mind had enough sense to let the offending fabric slide off your arms to disappear somewhere. You were all the more happy for it, pressing your exposed breasts to his chest and reveling in how cold he felt against your nipples. He was still dressed, much to your frustration, but you were content to let Marvus explore your body for now. 

You felt a snap along your thigh, followed by the brush of ruined fabric cascading down your sensitized skin as he hauled you up to sit on your knees, disconnecting from your neck with a wet pop. Your ruined undies remained looped around one leg, and with his widening stance forcing you to spread yourself for his curious gaze, you could do little more than blush and look away. 

The scenery outside had changed dramatically while you were preoccupied — the structural architecture of the highblood metropolis had been replaced with Alternian wilderness. You briefly wondered what to expect from Marvus’s hive, and then you remembered that you were still very much naked and currently at his mercy. 

“Fxxkin beautiful,” he said at last, trailing his fingers down your breasts to tweak your nipples. “I ain’t never seen someone blush dis much, dat wicked redness b _errywhere.”_

“Is that a bad thing … ?” you asked, fighting the urge to wrap your arms around you. 

“No, babe,” he said softly. “That noise ain’t it at all.” His eyes wandered to your neck, and whatever he had seen made the corner of his lips turn upward. He reached out to graze it with the back of his knuckles, and the heightened sensation reminded you that he had probably marked you there with his kiss. “Bruise easy, too, don’t ya?” 

“Something tells me that that’s enticing to you.” 

“Wat can i say, i’m a humble rhyme juggler w simple taste.” 

You chuckled dryly. “My body doesn’t freak you out, then?” 

“Hellz no,” he instantly replied, gripping your hips and lightly running his thumbs dangerously close to your pussy. “Looks pretty familiar to me. Except dis — “ He poked your naval, and you doubled over with a yelp. 

“It — it’s just something all humans have,” you explained quickly, fighting back your giggles. “But it’s not relevant to our situation right now, which is quickly becoming derailed by anatomy lessons.”

“Fxxk u rite babe, we gots to b rectifying dat posthaste.” 

Before you could make sense of what was happening, Marvus swooped you up as he stood, only to put you down in his seat while he kneeled in front of you, spreading your legs and placing them on his shoulders. You were both mortified and aroused beyond belief as Marvus finally got a proper eyeful of your privates. 

“What are you thinking?” you hesitantly asked. 

Marvus ran his hands along the inside of your thighs and looked at you. Gods, you knew that expression well. It was the same look he had given you during your first meeting, when he pretended to stab you in front of a frenzied audience. 

“I want u to touch yoself while i watch,” he smoothly replied with an air of finality, and you were absolutely scandalized, absolutely _excited_ to follow his dirty command. 

You slowly snaked your hand down your body, noting how his gaze followed your every move as you brought it closer and closer to your aching pussy. 

And then, you had an idea. A risky, bold idea.

Your hand veered off course to hover in front of his mouth, and you stuck out two fingers for him. “Make them wet for me?” you shyly requested.

He obliged you with a cheeky smile, making a show of slowly running his tongue around your digits. You bit your lower lip and stifled a moan at the sensation, hoping he had far more interesting plans for that mouth rather than simply watch you get yourself off. But you had your orders, and as soon as he finished coating your fingers, you instantly got to work. 

You nearly gasped when your slick fingers made contact with your clit; you didn’t even realize how turned on you were. Maybe it was simply the fact that Marvus’s spit was on you as you rubbed yourself in slow, teasing circles, or perhaps it was the way he stared so intently, like he was memorizing every motion, every hitched breath you took. You had never felt more exposed to someone before, and the fact that you were laying spread-eagle in a rich man’s limousine while he sat there looking like a starving dog had you nearly coming right then and there. 

But Marvus was your audience, and you were going to put on a show for him. Your fingers moved quicker, more purposeful as you shivered from the slickness leaking down your inner thighs. Marvus spread one of your legs further out and began a trail of kisses toward where you needed him most, each kiss shooting sparks of pleasure to your pussy. Your hips rolled towards him in invitation, yet Marvus simply continued his torturous path on the other side. 

Fine. If he didn’t want to oblige you, then you certainly would! With a low, petulant growl, you slipped past your aching folds and dove two fingers straight into your core, letting out an unrestrained moan at the delicious feeling of finally being stretched. 

Marvus paused his ministrations and leaned his head against your thigh as he gave you his undivided attention. “O shit u _do_ got a hole! Dat’s gunna b useful,” he snarked, and you _accidentally_ nudged him none too gently while readjusting your position to give him a better view. 

You felt your orgasm fast approaching, overstimulated as you were by now. “I need you, Marvus,” you breathed, pumping your fingers and hooking them at just the right angle to make you squirm. “I want you inside me, please, I can’t keep this up — “

You gasped as he suddenly held your legs apart and leaned over your form, his face inches away from yours. “If u want my bulge so bad, then u better finish,” he said, and before you could respond, his mouth was pressed to your bruised lips. 

Your fingers moved inside you as your thumb rubbed your clit, and with Marvus leaning over you, it gave you the illusion that _he_ was the one fucking you senseless. You were a moaning mess by the time he abandoned your lips in favor of sucking a nipple into his eager mouth, and that had been the last straw — you were coming with a drawn out cry, bucking your hips against your touch as Marvus looked down your chest to see your soaked fingers lazily stroking your folds to draw out your post-coital bliss. 

“Fxxxxxk yesss,” he hissed. “Gaddam, lil mama, look at all dat genetic material soakin my seat.” You were too weak to correct him on the intricacies of human fluids. Thankfully, you didn’t need to muster up a retort. Marvus looked up at you with a wicked expression, and you knew he had something on his mind. "My turn now.” 

You blinked at him, lost in a mental haze before his words registered. _”Please,”_ you whined, moving your hand out of the way and letting him return your legs to sit on his shoulders. 

Marvus was kneeling again in a flash, his face so close to your pussy and yet so far. He had yet to begin his nefarious plan, opting to simply look at your privates for a moment longer. As frustrated as you were by the pause, you were equal parts titillated. What did he have in store for you? Would he start off with his fingers, or would he use his tongue? Maybe both? 

Your prayers were answered when you felt the tip of his cold, wet tongue press lightly against your clit, swiping up and down in careful strokes. He looked at you as though in question, and you dug your heels into his shoulder blades to urge him on. With one final smirk, Marvus buried his face between your legs and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to your folds.

Oh, that tongue was absolutely sinful, sliding around every inch of you before returning to your clit for a brief moment, circling around it just the way you had shown him. Yet just when you started to feel the telltale burn of a second orgasm, Marvus quickly removed his tongue and blew a puff of air against your heated flesh. 

“You’re such a _tease,”_ you whined, struggling to writhe against his hold on your hips. 

His chuckle reverberated through your core as he dipped his tongue into your wet hole. “I like hearing ur lil moans,” he murmured and pressed a kiss to your clit. “C’mon babe, lemme hear sum more.” 

And with that, his mouth latched onto your clit and _sucked_ , sending your nerves on fire as he licked you with unyielding purpose now. 

The sudden change nearly made you dizzy with lust. You dug your fingers into the armrests to keep from pulling on his hair as the tip of his downward horn grazed your inner thigh. The ambient music was drowned out by the sound of your shameless moans, and a distant part of you wondered if the driver could hear you, but when you felt Marvus dip a finger into your pussy, you lost all ability to think from that point onward. 

“Oh gods, Marvus, give me _more_ ,” you groaned, bucking your hips as his finger slid inside you with ease. His lips and tongue were relentless in their attention to your clit, sucking and licking and kissing you while a second finger slipped in, and they were so much bigger than your own, so long and wide and just what you needed, just what you _wanted_ — 

Between bouts of helpless moans and breathy sighs, you told him, “Curl your fingers up, like — oh _fuck yes like that!”_

It was embarrassing, really, how just a few more well-placed thrusts and the swipe of his tongue sent you crashing into sheer ecstasy. You slumped back against the seat, panting for breath as your thighs trembled. Marvus eased you into a comfortable end as he slowed his thrusting and kissed your thigh. 

“Fxxk … “ he muttered, dragging his bangs out of his face. “Lookit u all outta breath. Not even my shows get u dis werked up … “ 

You couldn’t bring yourself to respond. Your lips curled up into a tired smile as you looked at the horrid mess of his facepaint, nearly gone from most of his lower face and transferred to your inner thighs. 

Marvus gently slipped his fingers out of you, examining the sticky wetness coating them before glancing back at you with a devilish smile. “Now look at wat u did,” he said with mock chastisement, bringing his fingers closer to your face. “Made a gaddamn mess all over me.” You felt him tap lightly against your lips, spreading the slickness along your bottom lip. “Guess u gotta clean em up for me, babe ;o) “ 

Without question, you let his fingers slip into your mouth, maintaining eye contact with him as you swiped your tongue along his digits and added a bit of suction for good measure. Marvus silently watched, pushing his fingers further and further into your mouth until you were nearly choking on them, but you were not about to make a fool of yourself. You relaxed your throat as best you could until he was all the way in to the last knuckle, and judging by the widened eyes and purple blush rising up beneath his ruined facepaint, you knew Marvus was impressed. 

_“Goood_ girl,” he cooed as he slowly slid his fingers out. You felt warm from the praise. “Didn’t expect u to b so hot all up inside u … got me thinkin sum sick thots … “

“I’d be happy to indulge your ideas,” you smoothly replied, because despite coming twice already, you were still greedy for more. In a sudden burst of inspiration, you sneaked your foot between his crouched legs to rub against his clothed groin. You were disappointed to discover the lack of bulge straining towards your touch, until you remembered that it was probably still sheathed away. 

Marvus caught hold of your ankle and, much to your surprise, slowly rolled his hips against your foot with more pressure than you had awarded him with. “I wanna fxxkin pail u so hard u ain’t gunna walk strait for perigees,” he growled. “And u’ll take _all_ of it, won’t u?” 

“Gods, yes,” you whimpered, reaching out to grab his bowtie and bringing him up to tower over you. He followed your lead obediently, staring down at you with hooded eyes. “Give it to me, Marvus.” 

He hummed at your boldness. “Don’t u worry, u gonna get it soon, lil mama. But we gots to b gettin on outta here.” 

His words were like a bucket of water pouring over you. “What?” you asked, sitting up straighter as Marvus leaned away from you to gather your belongings. 

“We’re here, babe,” he said with a chuckle, handing you your clothing. 

You furrowed your brows and looked outside. Indeed, the limo had apparently come to a stop. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice.” 

“I b believin, cuz if u _did_ notice, then that means i wazn’t doing a good job earlier,” Marvus cheekily replied and winked. 

You shook your head and refused to give him the satisfaction of laughing at his corniness, electing to quickly put on the dress and remove any errant white and gray paint streaks still on you. The bra and undies were useless to you; why bother with them when you’ll be naked all over again soon? You bundled them up in your hand to make them look like an indiscernible ball of cloth. 

Marvus had apparently been waiting for you to finish, not wanting to expose you to his driver while you redressed. As soon as you finished you looked up at him with a smile, and there was just something about his dopy grin reflected back at you, all genuine and full of warmth and woefully absent of his beloved facepaint, that made you reach for him without thinking. 

You stopped halfway, your hand hovering in the air between you. _What the hell am I thinking? He’s not my lover._

Your face must have said it all. Marvus crossed the distance, grasping your hand and pressing it to his chest as he kissed you. You blushed at his brazen move and blinked up at him when he pulled back.

“Whoever da mfer that said u ain’t a good bucket buddy clearly got their head stuck up their gaddang shizhole.” 

You giggled as he helped you up, passing by him while he grabbed the painting — you had almost forgotten about it — and gingerly opened the door. 

The driver was waiting for you with an entirely neutral expression, holding the door and offering you a hand as you clumsily balanced yourself on weakened legs. You offered him a thankful smile and quickly moved away, hoping he hadn’t taken notice of your ruined state. Although being the personal driver of Marvus surely must have exposed him to all sorts of sights. 

Once you smoothed out your dress and gathered your bearings, you finally took note of your surroundings. The limo had pulled up into a driveway lit up by an endless row of neon lights built into the ground. Before you loomed Marvus’s hive, an enormous, extravagant estate that looked like a cross between a beautiful villa and a circus tent, with towering spires crowning different segments of the hive. 

The sheer size of it all reminded you of your current place in life — a wandering alien with few possessions and a dilapidated hideout. And yet, you didn’t begrudge Marvus. His success was hard-earned, and your heart swelled with pride at all he had accomplished. 

So lost were you in thought that you didn’t notice him walking up behind you. His arm came around you and pulled you to his side, and you looked up at his smiling face. “U gravy, babe?” 

“Yeah, just admiring your hive. It’s so … you.” 

“Heh, u no it.” He stuck out his tongue. “Reddy to be pailed senseless?”

You nudged his side as you walked. “What happened to the eloquent Marvus I once knew? He seems to have been replaced with an uncouth heathen.” 

“Whoaaa that’s a lotta big words coming from u.” 

“And there’s gonna be something big coming in me soon.”

“Hehehe :o) “ 

Right before entering the hive, you picked up on a faint shushing sound, like the susurrus of water dancing along the shore. “Are we near a beach, by any chance?” 

Marvus held the door open for you and ushered you inside. “Yep, we rite on one. I’ll show u later, got a nice view from the backyard.” 

“That sounds lovely,” you absentmindedly remarked, your attention now drawn to the extravagant interior of the foyer. 

It was equal parts stunning and ridiculous, like someone had bought out an Italian villa and violated it with spraypaint and garish portraits of carnival-related themes. Knowing Marvus, this was all probably a big ‘fuck you’ to the Alternian expectations of luxury and a reverent display of loyalty to his clown religion.

Really, you could go on and on about the intricacies of this beautiful hive all day. But you were here to get laid, and it was time to find a surface to get fucked on. 

“Let’s find a couch to ruin for the night,” you suggested, looking up at him with a determined expression.

Marvus let loose a loud laugh. “Strait to the point, i fxxks wit dat,” he said, and promptly led you up a wide flight of stairs that diverged into a split hallway at the top. There was a single door at the end of one corridor, and when you stepped inside, you instantly determined this was his bedroom. 

There was a gigantic recuperacoon hanging from the ceiling, its opening slightly facing a balcony that showed the dark silhouette of the beach Marvus had mentioned. In the middle of one wall was a giant mantle with a huge flatscreen television, and you were happy to note the couch right across from it. There was a luxurious rug spread out on the floor as well. You were looking forward to desecrating it. 

Marvus stepped away for a moment to set the painting down on a tabletop beside the mantle. 

“I’m really impressed by your taste,” you started, because there was nothing quite like a bout of awkward, long-winded nonsense spewing forth from your reptilian brain. “The graffiti is a nice touch, by the way, it doesn’t clash with the rich aesthetic you’ve got going on at all.” Marvus was making his way back to you now. “I even noticed how much art you have, I didn’t peg you for a collector — _oh!"_

You were hoisted up into the air and pressed against Marvus’s chest. You yelped and wrapped your arms around his shoulders, letting your bra and undies fall to the floor. He looked at you amusingly. “U done?”

“Yes.” 

“Kiss me.” 

And you did. 

Your arousal sprung back with a vengeance as soon as his lips were on you, moaning from the way his tongue tangled with yours and how tightly he held you to him while he carried you to the couch.And when he lowered you down, you reveled in the feeling of his solid chest pressing into you. 

You swiftly removed your dress, eager to feel his body against you. Marvus followed suit, shucking off his jacket and tattered shirt in seconds, his thick mane of hair billowing around his shoulders from the motion. You pressed kisses to his chest in the meantime, working your way up past the grub scars as you lightly caressed the purple protrusions. Marvus pushed himself against you once more, and you wrapped your legs around his waist to grind against his crotch. You continued to kiss and suck anywhere your mouth latched on to, until your lips felt the brush of cloth. 

The bowtie. 

Oh, it looked absolutely ridiculous. You stuck your hands into his fluffy hair and searched for whatever held the bowtie together, intent on tearing it off. 

Marvus paused and threw you a wry look. “Really, babe?” 

“I can’t take you seriously with that thing on!” 

He rolled his eyes and reached back, removing the accursed bowtie and throwing it aside. You awarded him with a grateful peck to the cheek. “The compromises i make for u,” he groused, yet you could have sworn you spotted a tinge of purple peeking through the facepaint. 

“The pants have to come off, too,” you petulantly said. 

“As u command, my righteous hunnie.” You scooted to the end of the couch and watched him get rid of his last bit of clothing, and you were suddenly very aware of how naked this insanely attractive man was. He looked at you with blatant desire in his gleaming eyes, holding out a hand in offering as he reclined against the back of the couch. “C’mere, i wanna feel how hot u are.” 

You bit your lip and took his hand, letting him guide you into his lap once more. Something told you that you’d be in this position a lot from this point on. 

Marvus wrapped his arms around you and pulled your body against his. You nuzzled your face into him, feeling your warmth seep into his unnaturally chilled skin. A deep rumble vibrated throughout his chest, and you instantly recalled that odd clicking from before. 

“What is that sound?” you asked, looking up at him. “Is it something … good?” 

“Wat, u ain’t never hear a troll purr before?” You shook your head. “It’s a very good thang, lil mama. I like how soft and warm u iz.” 

You were feeling quite silly now. “I never imagined such a bloodthirsty species would do something this cute!”

He snorted. “I’m honored to b teachin u new shiz tonite.” 

“Mhm.” Your eyes wandered down his chest. “I’m not done learning yet.” 

Marvus tilted his head in question, and with a coy grin, you slid off his lap to nestle between his thighs. He spread his legs and stroked your cheek with the back of his knuckles, watching you run your fingers gently along the slits flushed a light shade of lilac at his crotch. Your fingertips came away with a wet coating, and you licked it inquisitively. It tasted rather nice, like a muted minty flavor. 

Marvus must have took pity on you — or perhaps he was eager to speed things up — because his bulge retracted slowly from the upper slit, and you … 

You were not prepared for how huge it would be. 

It undulated like a tentacle, pulsing a bold purple and felt ridiculously cold as you tentatively wrapped your hand around the base. You could hardly close your fist around it, yet that did not stop you from stroking upward, feeling all of the bumps and ridges along the underside as you glided through its slickness. Marvus bucked against your touch and moaned low, staring down at you with dilated pupils. 

“Keep going, baby,” he whispered, and you threw him a heated look before turning your attention elsewhere, keeping a firm hold on his bulge as you leaned in to run the broad, flat width of your tongue along the slit of his nook. “Oh, fxxk yeah, unf that tongue is like _fire.”_

You alternated between tender licks and open-mouthed kisses, absentmindedly moving your other hand up and down his squirming bulge. Marvus sweet-talked you all the while, muttering filthy words that had you wet and wanting for him all over again. You momentarily sought relief with your other hand, circling your clit and shoving two fingers inside you in time with your tongue dipping into his nook. His words trailed off into a breathy moan, growing steadily louder as you rubbed your tongue along the inner walls of his nook. 

You removed your fingers from your pussy and licked one final, tortuous path up his slit, slowly entering his nook with your wet fingers as your tongue trailed along his bulge before wrapping your lips around the base and leaving sucking kisses wherever your mouth reached. Marvus threaded his fingers through the hair at the nape of your neck, simply content to hold you while you freely sucked the tip of his bulge and added a third finger into his soaking nook.

“You’re a goddamn natural,” he rasped between panting breaths, his face flushed with a lovely shade of purple. “Suck on it just like that, u lookin so motherfxxkin _fine_ on yo knees, baby.” You sucked his bulge deeper into your mouth, running your tongue along the underside as you struggled to get its thick length through your throat. Whatever you couldn’t reach was caressed by your other hand, gliding easily through its natural lubricant. _”Fxxxxxxkkkkk, oh f — fuck, that’s my good girl — “_

His choked moan was all the warning you had before you felt his nook pulse against your fingers, followed by a gush of wetness coating your entire forearm. You slowly eased away from his bulge to inspect the mess, pumping him with teasing strokes. The genetic material was slippery and sticky, and when you licked it off the palm of your hand, it electrified your senses. 

For once, the tables had turned — Marvus impatiently hauled you on top of him and smashed his lips against yours, licking away the taste of his essence from your tongue. You bit his lower lip none too gently, eliciting a growl and a smack to your behind. You gasped and arched your back, silently wishing he had aimed a little lower. 

You tried to keep your sullied arm away from him, but Marvus grabbed hold of it and planted your hand right against the beating pulse of his blood pusher, sucking bruising kisses along your neck and collarbone. You couldn’t think, you couldn’t _speak_ , nearly overcome with desire as you felt the tip of his bulge slide through your folds. 

_”Marvus,”_ you whispered, trailing your wet hand upward to wrap loosely around his neck. “I need you inside me _now.”_

“Baby,” he cooed, gripping your hips to keep them still — “This bulge is yours to ride.” — and brought you down onto his thick length, throwing his head back as he cursed at your tight heat. 

You let out a wordless cry and swore you were seeing stars. 

Gods, he felt so fucking _cold_ , and so endlessly huge. You were stretched to an impossible degree, feeling every ridge and bump rubbing up inside you. 

Marvus dug his fingers into your back as he struggled to remain still. His bulge writhed within you, hitting spots so deep within you that you couldn’t help the broken moan wrenched from your throat. 

“I ain’t _never_ , n-e-v-e-r felt nethin this crazy,” he said in awe, staring up at the ceiling as though in deference to the messiahs themselves. 

You glanced down between your legs and felt a chill run down your spine — he was only half-way in. You couldn’t _possibly_ take more of him! 

Yet before you could voice your concerns, his bulge appeared to twist and shift within you, like it was — like it was _curling around itself_ — and you were sinking deeper and deeper, until you finally sat flush against his upper thighs — 

You had no idea this was possible; Lanque never did anything like this when he had fucked you! 

“Are you okay?” you shakily asked, smoothing your hands down his chest. “Does it hurt to do that? We — we can try a different way if — “

Marvus shushed you with a tender kiss to your forehead. “S’alrite, baby,” he rumbled. “I’ve done it before. What abt u?” 

His hands ran up and down your sides as you shifted around his bulge, grinding against him gently until the twinge of pain became lost to pleasure. “I’m — I’m good,” you breathed, blushing at his pointed stare. 

“Oh yeah?” Marvus grinned and rolled his hips, humming at your broken cry as he cupped the side of your face with one hand and kept a firm hold on your bottom with the other. “Talk to me lil mama, tell me what else u feelin.” 

“I feel so full,” you whimpered, struggling to keep eye contact when he began slowly thrusting up into you. “I — I need more, I need _you_ — “

Marvus tisked, circling and grinding his hips as his bulge writhed in undulating motions within you. “Ur fxxin greedy, u know that? Already got all of me up in u and ur lil nook is still tryin to take my bulge even deeper.” 

You whined and met his thrusts with desperate desire, feeling the static sensations of pleasure coursing through your sensitized skin. This was nothing like your first time — you were stretched beyond your limits and you were an absolute wreck, but you were thriving under Marvus’s intense stare, licking your lip as you looked at him through hooded eyes and moaned his name like a prayer. 

“Touch me,” you said, hoping he would catch your meaning, because your mind was too far gone to form coherent sentences. “Play with me, Marvus, come on baby, _oh fuck yes!”_

His thumb moved in tight circles on your clit as he angled your face up to dip his tongue into your mouth. You opened up for him with fervor, letting him steal your moans of bliss. The underside of his bulge twisted and writhed right against the one spot you taught him would end you, and within seconds you were crying out so loudly you might have gone hoarse — 

Marvus pulled away from the kiss and kept your face close to his, his heavy breathing fanning across your heated skin. “That’s it,” he growled. “Lemme see ur pretty face when u come, lil mama.” 

“Oh, _Gods_ , Marvus!” His hand tightened in your hair. “M — Marvus, I — I’m so close, please don’t stop, _please don’t stop — “_

It was too much. It was all too damn much, and you were sent spiraling into the best orgasm of your entire life, pulsing around him as your nails dug into his flesh. His hand grabbed hold of your jaw and shoved his thumb into your open mouth, running it along your tongue until you bit down and sucked, rolling your hips to drag out the last remnants of pleasure as you slowly came down from your high. 

Marvus held you so tightly that you were sure to get bruises later. He was lost to his own chase now, meeting your languid thrusts with powerful strokes. You reached up to run your fingers along the base of a horn, and suddenly his hand was gone from your face, gripping your waist to carefully slide out of you with as much grace as he could muster when he was so close to coming. 

“Wh — wha — “ you stuttered, and just as you looked down, Marvus spilled himself all over his abdomen, groaning out obscenities and grinding his hips up into the air in search of more stimulation. 

There was so _much_ of it, pooling in the dips and curves of his torso like a purple river. Marvus fell back against the couch with a sigh and closed his eyes, his mouth turned up in a relaxed smile. You sat back on his thighs and ran your fingers through the hair at his temple, feeling your heart race when he leaned into your touch. 

“U gunna b known as bucket babe in my contacts from now on,” he lazily droned, peeking at you through one eye.

You grinned. “Does that mean I did a good job?”

Marvus pulled you toward him and caught your lips in a soft kiss, neither of you having the strength for anything more. “I shud b askin u dat.”

You looked at him in shock, a blush blooming on your cheeks. Even now, he was showing his concern for you. You shyly nodded and elected to avoid answering in full, lest you start rambling again. Time for a diversion. “Marv, can I ask you something? It’s kind of … unconventional, but I think you can handle it.” He quirked a brow. “I once tried asking my friend but he washed my mouth with soap and kicked me out of his hive."

“Dayum, either he’s a high-strung prude or dis gonna b gud.” 

“Okay, here goes. Since troll horns are kinda sensitive, do you guys ever put them up nooks?"

Marvus stared at you for a moment before launching into boisterous laughter. It was so deep and sonorous, and you couldn’t help smiling at him. You should make him laugh more often. 

“I fuxxin _knew_ u were a freak babe,” he said as his chuckling died down.

“It’s just an innocent hypothetical question!"

“Yea, innocent my effin rumpus. I bet u a million u’d wanna try that sick shit out.” 

“ … well … “ 

“Omfg u _wildin."_ You both descended into a fit of giggles. Marvus lightly patted your behind, running a hand through the wetness still all over him and brought it up to your view. “We gots to b gettin cleaned up, lil mama.”

You nodded and slid out of his lap, feeling a wave of slight discomfort starting to settle in between your legs. You were going to be sore for a few days after this, but you were too blissed out to care. 

The bathroom appeared to be down a doorway beside the mantle. You trailed after him, eager to wash off and let the hot water soothe your muscle aches. 

And then you spotted the painting, your terrified expression staring back at you. 

_Look at how far you’ve come._

As though reading your mind, Marvus paused beside the painting, looked at the genetic material sticking to his fingers, and swiped it onto the featureless nether regions of your cowering figure. He didn’t even look back at you after such a scandalous gesture, going on about his business as though that had been a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

You glanced at the ruined painting, and decided that, perhaps … it wasn’t ruined now, but rather, very fitting.


	6. BAD END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: _You excitedly run through the sand behind Marv's hive, you haven't been to a beach in so long. Marv watches, amused, his expression turns to horror as he realizes you're heading straight for the water. He flash-steps to grab you before you make it to the shore. You laugh and wriggle in his grasp, stating you can swim. Marvus explains the dangers of seadwellers & sea-creatures. "So I can never go in the water?" You ask, looking out longingly. Your face breaks Marv's heart as he shakes his head no. _  
> \- **popcorn-kitten**

You stared back at the wide expanse of the sea's murky depths, imagining what horrors must be hiding from your sight. Yet again you were reminded of Alternia’s viciousness, its deadly sunlight and toxic rain carving out a brutal existence for surface-dwellers, while the ocean belonged to the aristocracy. 

Marvus patiently waited while you mulled over your thoughts, his arm now wrapped protectively around your shoulders as he scanned the area for intruders. You wanted to feel the incoming waves dance around your bare feet and to feel the sand sink you further into its warm embrace. 

Except the warmth you longed for brought forth a spark of remembrance that sent your mind reeling headfirst into the tattered remains of your mind. Since when had your memories been so … misplaced? Torn apart? Something was not connecting.

You furrowed your brows and wrapped your arms around you, feeling the start of a migraine piercing your temple. 

The salty smell of the ocean lit up your senses, and yet it mingled with something more sinister, something … alkaline. Like blood. 

“Are the seadwellers really that dangerous?” you asked, despite already knowing the answer.

“Theyz b sum fxxked up mfers,” Marvus replied. “If u ever see one, u best b runnin fo yo lyfe.” 

“My life … “ you whispered, and your hand inexplicably found itself pressed to your chest, digging your nails into your skin as a dull throbbing began to bloom from deep within. 

Your other hand blindly reached out for Marvus, seeking solace in his sold form. He looked down at you as you gripped his flimsy shirt. “Errything gravy, bud? U lookin more pale than usual.” 

You slowly released a breath you didn’t know you were holding. “I don’t know. Something feels wrong. Like — “ A sharp bolt of pain shot through your head, and you winced. “ — like none of this was meant to happen.” 

“Wut u mean?” 

“I don’t know,” you repeated uselessly, aggravated by your lack of understanding. The answer seemed so close, yet so far. Creeping forward and receding just like the capricious tide, taunting you with its limitless secrets. If only you could get close enough to let it pull you in, and never let you go.

The phantom sensations crawling out of your chest began a new journey, ever upward and ever downward along your tired body. The whispering babble of the waves melted together into a droning static of white noise, and if you focused hard enough, you could make out the sound of distant laughter, bitter and cruel. 

Fingers carded through your wind-swept hair. You fought through the heaviness settling over you and looked up, focusing your wavering attention on Marvus’s concerned stare. “Babe, i rly think we gotta b going back inside.” 

Your eyes trailed over his bare face, clean from the smudged facepaint that you so shamelessly ruined during your earlier tryst. It was all gone now. But it had been there, once.

Gray and white, reverently painted with painstaking precision in honor of the messiahs. But it had been ruined. You had done that. You had — 

— failed to hold back the child as he launched himself at the seadwellers — 

— his body lay still, facepaint smeared and purple blood filling in the gray — 

— the sky opened, and the sea roared — 

“Babe?”

All at once, you crumbled to the ground, gripping your head and whimpering from the onslaught of — of _something_. 

Marvus kneeled before you in an instant, hands placed on your shoulders as he tried to get you to look at him. “Wut da heck is goin on, talk to me.” 

“I — I just — “ you stuttered, and sucked in a shaky breath. “I just need to close my eyes for a moment.” 

Something flashed in his eyes then, as though a startling truth had been uncovered. He held your face between his hands and shook you gently. _”No,_ don’t u fxxn do that, babe. Don’t give up on me, damn it.” 

You stared at him with as much intensity as you could muster, and yet you were being dragged under, receding into the haze of unawareness as your vision started to blur. Marvus was still speaking, you felt him press his forehead to yours, what was he saying? _Are u givin up just like that? Look at me, don’t close ur eyes —_

_You’re here and you’re real —_

But before you could say anything, the ground beneath you pulled you into its endless depths, and you were floating through the cold expanse of paradox space itself.

**[ Do not stray from your path. ]**


	7. Love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was inspired by the most magnificent [set of](https://twitter.com/CarinaRinaRios/status/1069701164780929024) [tweets](https://twitter.com/CarinaRinaRios/status/1069701836578480129) to ever exist, as well as my partner in crime compositecreature :3
> 
> edit: please check out [this](http://jorijam.tumblr.com/post/183300085525/just-a-sketch-dump-of-mc-at-marvus-hive-from-gods) super cute fanart of this chapter done by jorijam!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Look at you kids, you know you're the coolest_  
>  The world is yours and you can't refuse it  
> Seen so much, you could get the blues  
> But that don't mean that you should abuse it  
> Though it's enough just to make you go crazy, crazy, crazy...  
> But you get ready, you get all dressed up  
> To go nowhere in particular  
> Back to work or the coffee shop  
> It don't matter because it's enough  
> To be young and in love  
> \- Lana Del Rey

Bathtime was calling for your filthy body.

You had been eager to see the ocean, but something steered you towards sleep instead. The night had been rife with cat-fights and debauchery, and when you caught a glimpse of the enormous ablution trap, you were hit with a wave of exhaustion that drained you of any motivation to visit the beach. 

Marvus was busying himself with removing his jewelry while you turned on the shower spray, letting the water heat up on its own as you padded over to him. You took it upon yourself to wet a nearby wash cloth with the intention to clean off his facepaint. As you stood on your tip toes and struggled to reach over the sink, Marvus grinned and taunted you for your height. 

“Ain’t got no ladders round here babe, u gonna b climbin me like a tree to get anywhere.” 

“Hilarious. How’s the weather up there, by the way?” 

“Feelin a lil chilly axxually, mite need a warm rusty to help me w dat.” 

You rolled your eyes and smiled, wringing out excess water from the cloth. Marvus looked down at you with a teasing smirk, and it might have looked attractive if not for the comical mess on his face.

“You look like an abstract painting,” you snarked and patted the countertop. “Get me up on here so I can clean that paint off you.” 

Marvus quirked a brow at your command, yet obliged you all the same, sitting you down before him and patiently letting you run the wet cloth along his face. You dug your fingers into his mussed up hair to keep it out of the way, focusing diligently on your task while Marvus watched you with amusement. 

The paint gradually gave way to neutral gray, and even his eyebrows darkened to their natural black color. You finished off your task with one last swipe along the long, graceful arch of his nose, silently admiring how long his lashes appeared while he kept his eyes closed. 

You realized you were staring, much to your embarrassment. 

“All done,” you weakly said, tossing the dirtied cloth into the sink, scooting closer to the edge of the countertop in preparation for absconding from this intimate proximity, until you noticed the dark circles under his eyes. You reached out to run a thumb along the evidence of his exhaustion. “Look at this … don’t tell me you’re overworking yourself."

A flash of hesitation flashed across his face. Yet it was gone as quick as it had appeared, replaced with his normal easygoing demeanor. He gently grasped your wrist and moved your questing touch away. “Ain’t nethin to worry bout,” he said, pressing a kiss to your fingertips. 

“Liar,” you asserted, stubbornly glaring at him. “I got rid of the facepaint, and yet it seems you’re still hiding behind a mask. You’re lying, and I know it.”

Yet again you managed to shock him into a state of silence, his eyes wide and focused on you during your short tirade. “Damn mama u rly gunna roast me like that?”

“Damn straight.” You took back your hand and crossed your arms, entirely unintimidated by how much larger than you he still was, his arms on either side of you as he leaned over you. “If that’s what it takes to get some honesty out of you.”

“Whoaaa, i don’t remember the last time sumone talked to me this way. 'Specially not a lowblood.” His hands found their way to your hips, and he grinned at you with hooded eyes. “Dat shit b hot, like some kinda pale porn feelz jam. U gettin freaky w me rite now, babe?” 

You covered your eyes momentarily and sighed. “No, Marvus. This isn’t a solicitation.”

“Aww :o( “

“Look, all I’m saying is, I notice these things about you. And if there’s no one around to tell you to take better care of yourself, then it may as well be me.” 

“Oooh? ;o) “

_”Not_ pale porn.”

“Now who b lyin … “

You were starting to feel a blush bloom across your cheeks. “What did I say about teasing me?” you murmured, bashfully looking away while he pulled you closer to him. With his handsome sculpted body in sight, you were quickly reminded that a platonic relationship with Marvus was out of the question. “Besides,” you continued, sliding your hands up the wide expanse of his chest towards his neck to tilt his face towards you. “ — would a moirail do this?”

You brought him down to your level and planted your lips on his, coaxing his mouth open with a teasing lick as he hummed into the kiss. He effortlessly gathered you in his arms while you made out and brought you both under the running shower spray, reluctantly letting you break off the kiss when you reminded him that you were still filthy. 

Everything had been chaste enough, for the first few minutes. You managed to get your hair rinsed and pointedly avoided staring at Marvus’s gorgeous body. The same could not be said for him, however. It all started with his hip bumping against yours as he reached over to grab a bottle, and an offer to help you wash off with something that looked like a mix of a giant beetle and a loofa. 

Innocent touches soon led to full-blown groping — you just _knew_ Marvus wouldn’t be able to resist — and eventually you found yourself pressed up against the shower wall with his bulge pumping slowly into your sensitive cunt, overstimulated and yet still craving more of him. 

By the time you were clean and swaying on your feet like a sleep-deprived child, Marvus had insisted you stay for the night — or rather, the day — and you couldn’t find the energy to fight him on his impeccable hospitality. So you thanked him with a tired smile and huddled up in the corner of the couch, adorned with a fluffy towel and ready to pass out the moment your head hit the cushion. But Marvus crouched down in front of you with a stupefied expression, and asked, "The fxxk ya doin, baby?”

“Um … going to sleep?” 

He blinked at you, still not understanding. “Iz dis a human thang? Sleepin on a couch?” 

“Technically we sleep on beds — not that you’d know what that is.”

“Well i ain’t got any o that shiz but i got a slammin cocoon so.” You let out a startled yelp as he scooped you up in his arms. “U coming w me, lil mama.” 

And that was how you ended up falling asleep atop Marvus’s very inviting bosom, smiling contently as the sopor slime soothed your aches away.

-

Marvus had a busy schedule the following day, so unfortunately he was gone by the time you woke up. You blearily rubbed your eyes and stretched, letting loose all the tension in your frame as you looked out to see the sun’s last rays disappearing behind the horizon. Seems like he really _doesn’t_ get that much rest if leaving before sundown was a regular thing for him.

You took a quick moment to freshen up in the bathroom, and after one final glance at the painting tainted with Marvus’s genetic material, you began lazily scooping up your scattered clothing and redressed. The weight of your palmhusk stashed away in a discrete pocket reminded you to check your messages, and sure enough, you had quite a few of them.

Stelsa had texted you about her safe return last night as promised, Chixie hit you up with an invite to a show later, and Marvus sent his apologies for not being able to stick around. 

_— couldn’t wake u up cuz u were lookin too cute but there’s food downstairs if u want_

_— n i got a guy parked outside to take u anywhere_

_— b seein u sumtime soon bby thx fr the amazing time ;o)_

You smiled shyly to yourself, hoping that he truly wanted to see you again. 

Your good mood promptly disappeared when you realized you had several texts and missed calls from Tagora. You knew exactly what he wanted from you, and you were too hungry to deal with it right now. 

Stashing away your palmhusk for later, you made your way downstairs and spent a few minutes looking around the spacious floor for the kitchen. The clicks of your heels echoed through the hallway as you wandered, glancing into spare rooms and admiring the beautiful graffiti decorating the walls. 

One particular room caught your eye — a shimmer of aquamarine blue in your periphery steered you inside, and you were met with a gigantic in-ground pool that curved beyond a translucent wall fixture, forming a long U-shape. To the right was a spectacular view of what you believed to be a portion of the backyard deck, the entire wall replaced with floor-to-ceiling window panes. The moonlight from outside filtered into the room, illuminating the glistening pool water to an ethereal color. 

It was stunning, to say the least. You kneeled at the edge of the pool and gently dipped your fingertips into the water. The temperature was lukewarm and pleasant, stirring up the urge to take a swim. Maybe you could coerce Marvus the next time you visited his hive.

As you pondered on the future, something seemed to bump against your fingertips. You furrowed your brow and felt around for the obstruction, feeling something smooth and uniform taking shape.

The strange object pushed gently against your touch, moving higher and higher until something white emerged from the water. You quickly retracted your hand and leaned over to get a closer look — 

And the water bursted upward like a geyser, splashing you as you fell back onto your ass with an indignant shriek. You protected your face with your hands and curled inward, fearing what horrors you managed to rile up in the depths of this pool. 

A loud chitter soon followed, and when you lowered your shaking hands, you were suddenly face to face with a white dolphin, its razor sharp teeth on display as its gaping maw puffed air inches away from you.

You let loose a scream and scuttled backwards from the creature, losing your grip on the wet floor and careening onto your side. 

The dolphin chirped at you and tilted its head as you came down from your panicked breathing. You stared back at it, wide-eyed and frozen in fear, until you realized that the beast was actually _smiling_ at you, bobbing innocently in the water and patiently waiting for your next move. 

Mirthful Messiahs, this was Marvus’s lusus!

You clambered onto hands and knees and crawled back to the dolphin, hoping you looked every bit as pathetic as you felt. “Oh my gosh that was so rude of me I’m so sorry! It’s so nice to meet you my name is — “ 

You were cut off by a jovial chirp, and the lusus bumped his snout on your forehead. Thank goodness, he didn’t appear to be as horrid as Zebruh’s custodian. Judging by how kind Marvus was, you always assumed his lusus would have led by example. You giggled and carefully petted his head.

“I hope I didn’t frighten you — “ The dolphin let loose a string of eek eek eek’s and shook his head. “ — no, please, don’t be sorry, I reacted like an idiot. I’m a friend of Marvus’s, by the way! Maybe he told you already?” 

“Eek eek! Eeeee!” Another nose bump, followed by a nuzzle to your cheek. 

You cupped your cheek and blushed. “I’ll take that as a good sign … “ Your conversation was cut short by a low grumbling, and you peevishly smiled. “Do you mind pointing me to the kitchen? I accidentally wandered in here because I got lost.” 

The lusus nodded, and instead of tipping his head toward a direction, he slowly emerged from the water’s depths. You stood up and backed away to give him some room, and you nearly gasped at how enormous he was. Sure enough, the lusus was a dolphin, and yet he sported a pair of dinosaur-like back legs that allowed him to stand upright, trailing his tail behind him as he offered a flipper to you. 

You smiled gratefully and held onto the proffered flipper as the lusus led you out of the room, stopping briefly for a moment so he could show you were the spare towels were stored away. You grabbed one on the way out and wiped yourself down as you let him guide you, eyeing the trail of water the lusus left in his wake and wondered if it was okay to leave it all over the floor like that. 

The kitchen was as grand as the rest of the hive, a circular space with a towering ceiling from which hung a massive chandelier, its multicolored crystalline lights casting rainbow beams everywhere they could. Everything was as large as Marvus said it would be, but thankfully his lusus caught on to your short stature, and took over the task of getting you well-fed. Within minutes you had a whole five course meal set out in front of you at the table, and you couldn’t stop thanking the kind dolphin with tears in your eyes before he ruffled your hair with a flipper and trilled a happy tune. 

When was the last time you had this much food at your disposal? Your heart swelled with love for your generous friends as you stuffed your face with questionable meats, deciding that the delicious taste outweighed their strange appearance. The lusus kept you company all the while, sitting across the table from you and chowing down on some sort of large aquatic animal laid out on a giant dish. 

You spent your breakfast in amicable discussion, regaling him with tales of your adventures, your worries about the future, and your ever-growing homesickness. You don’t know why, but you felt like you could trust this dolphin with anything. In turn, he eek'd up a storm of stories about Marvus as a wiggler, and how good of a child he had been. You realized, then, how suitable a dolphin was for Marvus — his lusus chirped with as much flare and gusto as the showman, waving his flippers around and smiling all the while. Two whimsical yet powerful individuals. A match made in heaven. 

Unfortunately, the time to leave had come. You didn’t want to overstay your welcome. 

Marvus’s lusus seemed disappointed by your announcement, and you imagined he might feel lonely in this mansion all by himself, considering how often Marvus had to go on tour or do other work-related things. You helped the dolphin place the empty dishes by the sink and hugged him tight, marveling at how he was just as cold to the touch as Marvus was. 

“I promise I’ll come visit you the next time Marvus invites me over,” you murmured into his soft belly, and you were rewarded with a pat to your head. The palmhusk vibrated in your pocket, startling you out of your hazy comfort and reminding you that you had a certain tealblood to attend to. 

As the lusus waddled you over to the front door, you looked up at him and noted how sad and quiet he had gotten. “Hey,” you called out, lightly tugging on his flipper. “Why don’t we take a picture together to show Marvus we met?” 

Your idea was met with joyous chirps, and as the lusus crouched down to your level, you snapped a ridiculous amount of selfies from all angles, choosing one where you were both sticking out your tongues. You sent it to Marvus and typed: 

_— i met your lusus, he’s so cute!!_

_— and he told me to tell you he says hi._

_— so in his own words, i say to you, “eek eek!"_

You paused and quickly added:

_— i had a wonderful time last night too._

And left it at that, because as much as you wanted to pour your heart and thank him for being so selfless and understanding in light of your self-consciousness, you did not want to come off as desperate. Sometimes it had to be like that. Even with him.

-

You were settled in inside a cab as you drove straight for Tagora’s hive, scrolling through the texts he had sent you with increasing anxiety.

_— Please let me know how your search goes, I’m very eager to move this case along._

_— Have you found any dirt on a certain someone yet?_

_— Still waiting._

Those were sent last night. The more recent ones were more concerning.

_— Seeing as you are not responding to me, I’m going to take that as a no._

_— You disappoint me, human. Expect an exorbitant fee added to your balance for every minute you are late in texting me._

Shit. Tagora was always serious about those pesky charges. You fired off a quick _’I’m on my way!’_ and spent the whole ride looking at troll memes to lighten up your mood. Tagora may be pissed at you right now, but not for long. He could never stay mad at you. 

That thought replayed in your mind as you meandered up his front lawn, trying to come up with a million excuses for your tardy end of the deal. At least you managed to protect the clothes he bought you. Maybe that would cheer him up a bit. 

You stared at the door and counted to ten before knocking. 

Tagora opened the door just a crack, peering at you through the narrow opening. You sucked in a deep breath. 

“Okay. You’re going to be upset — “ The door was swinging shut. You hastily shoved your foot through the threshold and fought to keep it open. “ — but I promise I can still make it all worth your while!”

He paused for a moment and leered at you. “How so?” 

“ … gossip?” 

Surprisingly, it worked. The door opened a little, and as Tagora finally got a good look at you, his peeved expression fell away to one of shock and slight revulsion, perhaps even a hint of concern. “Have you even _looked_ at yourself today? Did you get mauled by a purrbeast?” 

You smiled sheepishly and absentmindedly rubbed at a love bite on your neck. “More like I got pailed senseless by a purpleblood.” 

_”What?_ And you’re still alive?”

A chatty, questioning Tagora was a good sign. You slipped past him and wandered inside, waving at his lusus in greeting as you toed off your shoes. “This particular highblood is a good friend of mine. I’m sure you remember who he is, considering I begged you to blackmail whoever uploaded that video of him hand feeding me … “

“You pailed with _Marvus Xoloto?”_ Tagora whirled you around and grabbed you by the shoulders, bringing his face inches away from yours. “Did you mention me?” he excitedly asked. 

“In what possible context could I bring you up while getting laid? _’Oh Marvus that feels so good, by the way I happen to know a fantastic lawyer —'_ "

“Uuugh!” He lightly pushed you away and rolled his eyes, running a hand through his impeccable hair. “You’ll pay for giving me that horrible mental image. And furthermore, you are so damn useless.” 

“It’s not my fault,” you grumbled, making your way to the couch and sagging down onto it. Tagora’s lusus instantly materialized in your lap, rolling over to expose his tummy while you scratched it. “My night took a turn for the worst during the party, and after all was said and done I was feeling so shitty that I needed a distraction. I just didn’t have it in me to sleuth around for you, I’m sorry.” 

Tagora eyed you quietly as though in deliberation. Maybe you looked tired and mopey, because his expression softened marginally. “Are you.” He paused. “Are you hungry?” You shook your head. “Wait here then.” 

You watched him curiously while he wandered away to the bathroom. His lusus chuffed at you when you forgot to keep scratching behind his ear. “Soooorry,” you whispered to the ferret, and you were rewarded with a nuzzle to your face as he rearranged himself like a flailing noodle. 

Tagora returned with a tube of neon green paste — it was a familiar sight to you by now, considering how often you were getting injured. He sat beside you and shooed his lusus away, motioning for you to turn to him. “Tell me what happened,” he ordered, squirting a dollop of paste on his hand and massaging the medicine into the bruises along your neck and shoulders. 

“Well,” you said with a sigh, tilting your head to let Tagora work his magic. “I had the misfortune of stumbling upon Lanque. Or rather, _he_ made the effort to confront me, and made me look like a fool by bringing up personal bullshit.” 

“Ah, that cretin. I hope you told him off properly this time.” 

“I tried … but it still sucked to have my insecurities thrown back at me out of nowhere.”

Tagora huffed. “At least you’re not the one crashing parties in search of cheap thrills. Show me where else you’re bruised.” You lifted the hem of your dress and up over your hip to reveal fingerprint shaped marks along your outer thighs. You tried your best to keep your private area covered, wishing you still had your underwear. Tagora seemed to not mind, working with detached efficiency. “And. You know. You’re the one who got lucky in the end. Although judging by how fucked up you look, ‘lucky’ is pretty subjective. Was this a pitch romp?”

“Nope, it was really sweet and fun and a hell of a lot more intimate than I expected,” you gushed, blushing at the memory. “But let’s not get side-tracked. I didn’t even tell you the worst part the night!”

“There’s more?” 

“Unfortunately. So, Remele apparently had the wonderful idea of painting _me_ as the main subject, and she auctioned it off to the highest bidder. Which thankfully turned out to be Marvus, and I’m pretty sure he did it just to spare me the embarrassment. It was so vulgar, Tagora! Like, she made me _naked_ and cowering in an alleyway and — and covered in troll blood because she was recreating that time we got into trouble with a purpleblood and — “

Fuck. Tagora didn’t know about your and Remele’s connection to that murder. And you knew he tracked it with fervor when news first hit, trying to tie it to her earlier event. 

As if on cue, his eyes widened in excitement, pupils narrowing like a predator honing in on its prey. “Wait, wait. First of all, _why_ didn’t you tell me you were involved in such a high-profile case? And _how_ could that conniving bitch know enough about the crime scene to portray it in such an accurate light?”

“I — um … I can’t tell you!”

“Oh you absolutely will. I think this will be more than sufficient to cover for your failure last night."

You groaned and dug your hands into your hair. “You don’t love me, Gor-Gor! You just love my _drama._ Is that all I am to you?” Tagora reeled back, biting his lower lip. "Just a — an _associate_ who does dirty work for you? A henchman? A dumb, worthless human? A — “ 

Your freak-out was cut short when a hand gently yet firmly slapped itself onto your cheek. 

You blinked and looked at Tagora. He stared right back, looking equal parts shocked and panicked. His hand was slightly cold, yet ridiculously soft. 

“Oh my gods are you shooshpapping me — “ 

_”No!_ ” Tagora wrenched his hand away as though he had been burned. "This is strictly a platonic show of camaraderie, as evidenced by your updated fee charge right _here_ — “ He had the nerve to pull up some sort of app on his palmhusk that tracked your debt, pointing at an absurdly high number. 

You bemusedly glanced at the screen as he held it right up to your face before moving his hand out of the way. “Does that mean you’d drop your fees for a moirail?” 

“I would consider it a fair trade-off in light of their services towards my mental wellbeing.” 

“Hmmm.” You _did_ have a lot of debt accrued … and you were technically just inadvertently proposed to. "Well lucky for you, you have just the right candidate for obsessing over your mental wellbeing right in front of you!”

Tagora blushed a vibrant teal and jerked away from you, stammering several times as he tried to unsuccessfully offer a rebuttal. “Th — that’s — you can’t just _say_ that, you uncultured creature! Don’t you have any tact? _Any sense of romance?”_

“What do you want me to do, serenade you? Build you a nest out of the finest quality of ablution robes and drown you in expensive chocolates for luxurious feels jam sessions?” 

“You are ridiculous.” He paused. “As if you could even afford any of that.”

“Are you seriously considering what I just said?"

“I never said that! The absence of evidence is not evidence in of itself!”

"What does that even _mean?”_

“I swear I don’t even know why I put up with you — “

“Because I’m so cute and pitiable.”

“Well, you’ve certainly got parts of that right,” he said, turning away from you in a valiant attempt to hide his blush. “You’re so pathetic it’s practically obscene. Indecent, even.” 

“Is that some backhanded way of saying I’m quadrant material?” 

“This conversation is _over.”_ Excellent, hopefully he forgot about Remele. “And don’t think I’m letting that whole Remele thing go so easily.” Damn it. “But you’re clearly not in your right mind to continue that discussion, so we’ll talk about it later."

“You are so benevolent, Gor-Gor.” 

“Yes, I am,” he said with a grin. The majority of your bruises had been dealt with by now, so Tagora screwed the cap back onto the tube of paste and stood up to put the medicine away. 

“Tagora?” He turned to look at you with a quirked brow. “Thank you.” 

He smiled lightly and nodded before going on his way. His lusus was back in your lap in no time, slipping into your waiting arms with a delighted meep. You pulled out your palmhusk and checked if you received any new messages, and sure enough, Marvus had responded to your earlier texts. 

_— o shit yo pops lookin happy af_

_— u gonna have to b comin over to keep him company now_

_— and maybe me 2 ;o)_

You giggled and gripped your palmhusk a little tighter between both hands. Tagora glanced back at you for a split second, his smile mirroring your own.


	8. Cherry - Part 1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> __
> 
> _Darlin', darlin', darlin'_  
>  I fall to pieces when I'm with you, I fall to pieces  
> My cherries and wine, rosemary and thyme  
> And all of my peaches are ruined ...  
> \- Lana Del Rey 

Wanshi had summoned you for a roleplaying session one evening, and you were obligated to comply with her demands. The feisty girl pounced on you as soon as you arrived at the caverns and dragged you to the jadeblood hive, excitedly laying out the plans for your roleplaying session. You caught a brief glimpse of Daraya and waved at her, promising to pay her a visit later. 

“[] so Where did We leave off on last time? []” Wanshi asked, swinging your hand around as she gripped it tightly in hers.

“I believe it must have been when … “ You drew out the last word dramatically, then carefully wrenched your hand away as you hunched over with fingers curled into claws, baring your teeth at her. “I, the _mighty_ Twinklepaw, deliver unto you a prophetic dream of utter devastation, doom, and suffering that shall befall your people, for your foolish decision to assassinate Dewstar, leader of skycaste!"

Wanshi launched into character immediately, pupils narrowing into thin slits as she hissed at you. “[] the old fool’s days Were numbered! noW i, WildWhisp of solarglare clan, shall continue forging the path to unity of _all_ purrbeast Warriors in the living World! []” 

“The only fool I see is _you,_ young one,” you emphatically said, pointing to her. “Heed my warning, for the land of dreams reveals … uh … the folly of your arrogance!” 

“[] _never!_ []” she shouted, and launched into a full sprint down the path ahead. You ran after her with a peel of laughter, ignoring the strange looks being thrown at you two by passersby. 

Your roleplaying sessions typically got quite intense after you warmed up, and this time was no different. Wanshi led you through so many winding paths of the neighborhood that you truly felt like you were being transported into a mythical world, traversing through hives carved into the towering chasms of the caverns, past fields of glowing stalagmites, and ending up in a small garden behind what appeared to be a schoolhive. 

After the foretold prophecy came to pass, Wildwhisp lay dying among a bloom of neon flowers and purple grass, reaching out for Twinklepaw’s comforting presence as she coughed up fake blood. A ringing bell echoed in the distance. 

“[] it is the end for me, i fear, []” she rasped, grasping her chest and holding a hand up skyward while you cradled her little body. 

“Hush now, and rest your weary soul,” you softly said. 

“[] have i — []” She coughed once more. “[] have i truly made a mistake? led my people to ruin, despite attempting to evade your Warning? []” 

You spotted a group of young jades running out of the schoolhive in your periphery. “It is the folly of living mortals to try to change fate. We search for the destinies we want to come to pass, and in doing so, we fulfill the inescapable tragedy of truth.” 

Wanshi looked momentarily impressed by your monologue before dropping her head back and groaning dramatically, laying the back of her hand on her forehead. “[] i am not ready to die! []” she shouted, wincing in pretend from a phantom wound. 

The soft crunch of footfalls were drawing near you from behind. “You belong to starcaste now, warrior! Do not fear the end, for it is merely the beginning!” 

Wanshi let out a dramatic wail as you held her in your nap, letting loose loud gurgles of death. A shadow fell over her as a figure stopped beside you. She paid no attention to the interruption, finishing off her death scene by slumping into your hold, tongue sticking out comically and eyes closed. 

You smiled fondly at the young girl before looking up to see who had arrived to witness your spectacle. 

The judgmental glare of Lanque Bombyx stared down at you, lips curled in a sneer and arms crossed as he eyed you up. 

All of your good mood promptly disappeared, and your smile quickly fell into a frown. 

Wanshi took no notice of the change in atmosphere. Eyes still closed, she continued in a hushed whisper as a narrator, “[] With WildWhisp’s life-force slipping aWay by the second, an old friend enters the scene to save her. []” She peeked at Lanque from one eye and smiled. “[] only he can transform her into an undead Warrior — by drinking her blood! []” 

“Play-time is oVer, Wanshi,” Lanque droned, earning a frustrated growl from her. “Didn’t you hear the bell? Your classes are starting any minute noW.” 

She crawled off your lap and stood up, fists balled up at her sides. You followed, wiping grass from your pants while the two trolls engaged in a stare-off. “[] you knoW you Wanna join us! []” 

The gears were turning in your head. Wanshi had mentioned some time ago that a male jadeblood played Soldier Purrbeasts with her … 

“I think not.” Before your mind could wander, Lanque finally acknowledged you with an upturned nose. “Hello, alien. You do knoW that this is the last place you should find yourself, right?”

You rolled your eyes. “That’s a weak threat, even by your standards.”

“As much as I loVe dramatics, that’s not What I’m referring to. But I suppose I’ll haVe to spell it out for your feeble thinkpan — the caVerns are teeming With drones, and they Wouldn’t think tWice before rendering you into a puddle of goo.” 

“My goodness, Lanque! Is that a hint of _care_ coming from you?”

“Hardly. I couldn’t be bothered to giVe a shit about What happens to you. I’d just rather not haVe to deal With Wanshi’s endless riVer of tears if you died.”

“[] oWo? []"

“How charming. You’re not fooling anyone with that.” 

The corner of his mouth tugged upward in a half-sneer. “Look at you, trying to find some hidden meaning in What I say. It’s so desperate and _sad.”_

You bristled at the remark, finding yourself being drawn closer to that horrid man. “You are so insufferable, you know that?”

“And you are a damn thorn on my side, alWays appearing out of noWhere.” 

_”You_ manifested out of thin air! Who the hell even asked you to come over here?"

“I am here to retrieVe a pesky Wiggler, not to suffer from your presence — “ 

Wanshi looked between you two during your short argument, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. “[] WoW [],” she breathed, turning to Lanque. “[] You really got it _bad_ , huh … [] “

You quirked a brow in confusion while Lanque flushed in indignation. “Shut _up_ , you little — “

“Hey!” You grabbed a fistful of his collar and yanked him to face you. “Don’t fucking talk to her that way, asshole.” 

Lanque slapped your hand away with a snarl, and Wanshi gasped, clasping her hands together as she smiled widely. Not the reaction you expected from a young girl who just got told off by her superior. “[] i _kneW_ i got it right from the Way you talked about her, lanque! []"

He flinched and nearly hissed, but you spoke first before he could deny anything. “You talk about me?” you asked with an air of tension, glancing at Lanque.

“[] oh all the _time!_ []” Lanque glared down at her, and Wanshi had the decency to look a bit mollified. “[] Well, not really all the time. but i told him about hoW We met, and hoW you saved my life by being a scaredy-purrbeast liar — []” 

“Typical for her,” Lanque cut in, earning a sharp look from you.

“[] — and he alWays Wants to knoW When We’re roleplaying cause i think he’s jealous and Wants in on the fun! []” Wanshi finished in one quick breath before Lanque could stop her, grinning sneakily as she placed her hands on her hips. “[] Which is Why i led us here, cause i kneW he Was gonna be around and i Want him to join in! []” 

You huffed an amused laugh while Lanque hid his exasperated expression behind a hand. “Are you done?” He removed his hand and laid it atop her head. “I knoW it must be hard to tell apart fantasy from reality for you, but you need to stop coming up With these crazy ideas and _go to class."_

“Hold up,” you said, your smile growing. “I didn’t know you role-play, Lanque.” His eyes flashed dangerously, as though warning you to keep your mouth shut about it. You sure as shit won’t. “What kind of frivolous name have you graced yourself with? Sparkleflare? Lusciousmane?" 

“[] hey those are pretty good … []“ Wanshi muttered, stroking her chin in thought.

Lanque scoffed. “I happen to haVe chosen the most noble name of all,” he haughtily said, placing a dainty hand over his chest. “Moonshine of shadoWcaste.”

“[] it’s soooo poetic! oWo []” 

_”Moonshine?”_ You tried to unsuccessfully stifle your giggles while Lanque looked nonplussed and Wanshi tilted her head. “I just want you to know,” you laughed, wiping away a tear from your eye. “That ‘moonshine’ is an extremely strong alcoholic drink on my planet. Which _is_ very appropriate for you, Lanque! Excellent foresight, guys.” 

“You think you’re just so _cleVer_ , don’t you?” 

“[] guys! []” Wanshi clapped her hands, and you reluctantly directed your attention to her instead of glaring daggers at that bastard. “[] let’s channel that pitch energy into one hell of a role-play session! right! noW! oWo []” 

“There is nothing pitch happening here, _just look at her — “_

You have officially had enough of his voice. “Wanshi,” you said, grasping her shoulders. “I really do think you should go to school. Roleplaying can wait, okay? I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble.” 

Her excited demeanor deflated as she reluctantly nodded. “[] yeah you’re right. but come over sometime soon! We Were just getting to the good part. []”

You smiled. “Of course, I wouldn’t want to keep us on that cliffhanger.” 

“[] mhmm! uWu []” Wanshi bounced on the soles of her feet and pulled you into a tight hug. “[] i’ll see you later, thanks for visiting me! []” 

“I’m happy I got to see you,” you murmured happily into her locks. 

Wanshi looked up at you with one last smile before scampering away, running into Lanque for a quick hug, yelping when he ruffled her hair, and dodging his next attack as she dislodged from him and disappeared behind the building’s corner. 

You pondered on your next course of action as Lanque watched Wanshi leave, using his momentary lapse in attention to think about slipping away and avoiding the awkwardness that would ensue from being alone with him. 

When was the last time you had stopped by the nursery and played with the grubs? You texted Bronya quickly to ask for permission, and within seconds she had already fired off a reply. 

_— vV I’m pretty busy right now, but you can wait for me there while I finish up! There’s a few things you could do for me in the meantime. Vv_

_— 1. Calm down the fussy ones, they seem to be riled up today._

_— 2. Feed the isolated indigoblood grub._

You whispered an excited _yesss_ , yet your victory was cut short as soon as you stashed your palmhusk away and became aware of how quiet it was, and you were pretty sure Lanque was watching you by now. Probably waiting for you to make the first move and confront him. 

You would not give him the satisfaction. 

Without a single backwards glance, you set off in the direction most familiar to you, hoping it led you to the main jadeblood hive. And because misery loves company, Lanque trailed behind you with large strides, as though he were trying to catch up to you. 

_He’s not going to let me win this,_ you bitterly thought and sighed. You stopped and turned to him, chin up and back ramrod straight in an effort to look more confident than you appeared. 

He prowled up to you with no small hint of annoyance written all over his face. 

“Where do you think you’re going, human? The exit is _that_ Way,” Lanque said, pointing over his shoulder. 

You cast him a withering look and folded your arms. “I want to visit the nursery.” 

“And you think I Would take it upon myself to Waste my time to bring you there?”

“Are you not the one trailing after me? I can get there myself, and Bronya said she’ll meet me there after she’s done with work.” 

“Ugh. Of course that oVerbearing bitch Will come sniffing around,” he groused, and you prickled at his rude tone. But before you could defend your friend, he walked past you, motioning you to follow him. “Lucky for eVeryone else, I’m not irresponsible enough to let you run around the caVerns unsuperVised.” Sensing you were still rooted to the spot, Lanque turned around with a dramatic twirl of his jacket and eyed you distastefully. “Are you coming or not?” 

_Un-fucking-believable,_ you thought to yourself. _The leaps and bounds this man goes through to invite himself._

You couldn’t fault his logic, though. It was a known fact that you had a habit of wreaking havoc on anything within a mile radius of your presence. Quite frankly, you were shocked that Bronya seemed to trust you enough to let you watch the grubs before she came to see you. But with the amount of times you’ve visited the nursery and helped her take care of the little ones, perhaps she finally started to put some faith in you. 

And then you remembered Lanque’s warning about the imperial drones. Wanshi had expertly navigated you away from their sensors during your roleplaying. You highly doubted you would get lucky enough on your own. 

With a newfound resolve to stay alive, you joined him at his side. “Let’s go then, Moonshine,” you haughtily said, embarking on your journey without sparing him a glance. 

You smirked when you heard him growl behind you.


	9. Cherry - Part 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a heartfelt shoutout to compositecreature for her brilliant idea that will pop up in this chapter :3
> 
> please check out [this](https://xerxezra.tumblr.com/post/183156623477/cat-terpillar-some-troll-call-trolls-with) lovely commission done for me by cat-terpillar! it's my version of mc with the husbands ;w;

The situation you currently found yourself in could be described as nothing less than painfully, horrifically awkward and uncomfortable. 

For you, at least. While you were busy trying not to crawl out of your skin, Lanque strolled beside you with an easygoing demeanor, waving pleasantly at familiar faces passing by. You made the mistake of looking at him during one of his friendly greetings, and when you caught a glimpse of that fake smile, you felt such a visceral punch of emotions that you decided not to look at him anymore during the remainder of the trip. 

Unfortunately for you, Lanque was beginning to grow tired of the silent treatment. He cast you a sidelong glance and said, “You can speak, you knoW.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Then let me correct myself — I have many things to say, and I don’t feel inclined to do so.”

He let out a sharp laugh. “You had a lot to say the last time We saW each other. By all means, don’t start feeling shy noW.”

Your hands bunched up into fists as you recalled that unpleasant altercation. “Can we _not_ do this, Lanque? I don’t know why you get so much joy out of fighting, but I don’t wanna get into it with you right now.”

“Boo, you’re no fun.” Were your ears deceiving you, or did you actually hear a hint of disappointment in his voice? “I’m curious about something, though.” You narrowed your eyes at him. “A Very handsome, Very _famous_ highblood stole you aWay from me. Care to explain that situation?"

“Ugh, he didn’t steal me away from you. He freaking rescued me. And I’ve been friends with him for a while now.”

“Hmm, dare I say there is a bit of a social climber in you?” 

“Marvus is a wonderful friend to me,” you icily said through gritted teeth. “I’m not an opportunistic fiend like you.” Or rather, you’re not _anymore._ But Lanque didn’t need to know that. 

He had the nerve to chuckle. “Nothing Wrong With haVing the right friends in the right places. For example, they might come in handy When a pesky artist uses you for fame and recognition at the expense of your dignity.” 

You groaned and dipped your head. “Please don’t tell me you witnessed that auction.”

“Oh, I did. And I loVed eVery second of it.” Lanque leaned over to whisper in your ear, “Seeing you in such a Vulnerable state on that painting Was so _scandalous."_ You jerked away from him and walked a few paces faster so he couldn’t see your blush. He laughed and caught up with you. “Namaaq should haVe asked me for some adVice on hoW to portray your body. Although she Wasn’t that far off, making you look like some sort of Wax figure.” 

Somehow, his dig at your appearance did not phase you. Not when you knew about Marvus’s say on the matter. “I doubt you would have done me any justice either.” 

“True.” What a piece of shit. _”So,_ don’t be shy — tell me more about this purpleblood character. Last I saW of you tWo, he had bought that idiotic painting and you disappeared again.” 

“We — “ You thought carefully about how much you wanted to reveal to him. “We … left to deal with the painting in the manner it deserved to be treated.” Lanque looked at you curiously. You smirked as you fondly recalled the conclusion to your romp. "He wiped his genetic material all over it after we pailed at his hive."

Lanque furrowed his brows and pressed his mouth into a thin line. "Uh-huh. And What _really_ happened?”

“If you think I need to justify anything to you, you’re dead wrong there.” 

“What the hell Would a highblood see in you?"

"I don’t know, Lanque.” You smirked and pulled down the collar of your hoodie to reveal a lovebite Marvus unintentionally gifted you with. It had already been a few days since that night, and yet his presence still made itself known all over your body. “You tell me.” 

Lanque eyed the mark with detached interest and looked away. “As if I’m supposed to belieVe a highblood did that. Do you think I’m stupid? The sign on your hideous hoodie tells me eVerything I need to knoW.” 

“The — the sign?” You glanced down to the cerulean arrow zig zagging across your chest. “How is this relevant?” 

“Please tell me you aren’t serious.” You clenched your teeth and refused to answer. Lanque shook his head. “I think it Would be far more hilarious if you asked WhoeVer gaVe that to you.”

“You know what? I will. Thank gods this conversation is over.” 

Lanque humphed as you put some distance between you two, directing your entire attention to admiring the scenery of the brooding caverns. You were currently trekking through a path carved into the side of a cliff. Down below, you could see an endless sea of eggs and newly hatched grubs ripe for the picking. A handful of jades were carefully stepping around, either collecting the grubs or taking notes of the eggs. 

Oddly enough, there were no drones in sight. You knew they were within earshot, their machine-like buzzing coming from somewhere in the distance. But without their immediate presence, you were almost lulled into a sense of comfort, fighting the temptation to steal away the grubs from danger.

“The jades don’t see much violence down here, do they?” you pipped up, curiosity overriding your earlier annoyance with Lanque. 

He didn’t answer immediately, either surprised you were addressing him or reluctant to speak with you at all. "Apart from the culling, no. We groW up Watching hoW the drones operate, so We’re accustomed to culling the young from an early age.”

Your pictured the grubs’ frightened faces moments before death. It made you sick. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“It’s just … so sad. This is supposed to be the one place where something as beautiful as life flourishes on this insane planet, and yet, in a way, here is where death begins.”

Death of the self. Death of Alternian morality. Death of countless innocents. How did the jades put up with this? 

A dark expression fell over him. “Good to knoW Bronya’s Weak blood pusher hasn’t colored your vieW of What’s really happening here.” 

“I thought you were going to judge me for being a softie,” you said lightly. 

“I’m not blind to this shit; none of us are. But We do What we need to do in order to surViVe. Most of the jades like to pretend that We are safest doWn here, and that We haVe things under control, but the caVerns are just as fucking aWful as the surface.” 

You silently looked back at the workers scouring the hatchery. No, not workers. Slaves to the Condesce. “I … I understand,” you quietly replied. “I know how it feels, to want to run away from it all.” 

While you were turned away, Lanque roughly bumped your shoulder as he walked past you. You flinched and stamped down the hurt that coursed through you. “Ugh, shut up,” he waspishly said. "Don’t pretend to knoW me.” He threw you a dirty look. “You don’t knoW a damn thing about liVing such an empty life.” 

He continued onward, unaware of you stopping dead in your tracks. 

You should have laughed at his snide presumption. 

You felt a wave of exhaustion overcome you instead. 

The jadeblood hive loomed in the near distance. You walked with Lanque the rest of the way in silence, your energy to fight with him completely and utterly drained for the time being. The road was lit up by pretty bioluminescent growths, and if it were anyone else with you, you would have asked to take some home and gifted them to Charun for their art projects. But Lanque was emitting a prickly aura, so you kept your mouth shut and imagined holding the nursery grubs in your arms. Mirthful Messiahs knew you needed them right now. 

You meandered through familiar corridors of the communal hive, trailing past Lanque in your eagerness to reach the nursery. A few jades greeted you warmly — and either blushed or glared at Lanque — as you said your hellos and peered into random rooms to see if you might catch a glimpse of Karako. But the young clown was nowhere to be seen, much to your disappointment. 

“Do you know where Karako is?” you asked Lanque, hoping Bronya’s little secret was well-known among the jades.

He shrugged his shoulders with a long-suffering expression. “Who knoWs Where that little monster is hiding. Probably ran off to the Wilderness again."

You finally reached the door leading to the nursery. “Alright,” you lightly said as you took hold of the door knob, and paused. “And Lanque?” He quirked a brow at you. “Call him a monster again and you’ll be sorry.” 

Lanque erupted into peels of laughter and slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his giggles while you rolled your eyes and stepped into the nursery. The room was set to an ambient lighting, presumably to put less strain on the grubs’ developing eyes, and the peaceful silence was interspersed with bouts of chirping cries. 

“Please, tell me,” Lanque said with soft amusement as he kept his voice low. “Wh — What are you — _ahahaha_ — What are you going to do to me? Bore me to tears With your stale comebacks?”

“You did say earlier that it’s important to know people in the right places.” You stepped further into the room and let the wholesome environment calm you down. “And Bronya seems to be in the right place to nag you to death.” 

Lanque bit his lip in an effort to cease challenging you any further and turned away from you with his jacket flaring behind him. “The grubs are mostly in the slime Vats, but the ones in those isolation pods — “ He motioned to a few machine-like contraptions lined against a far wall. “— are for the sick ones, so don’t eVen think of coming near them."

“I know how things work around here,” you flippantly said. Not even Lanque’s presence could sour your mood or deter you from your mission to play with the grubs. “Bronya said that I need to cheer up the cranky grubs and feed an isolated indigoblood. You can make yourself useful and do the latter.” 

“HoW about you don’t tell me What to do,” he sneered. 

“I mean, you _could_ leave. No one is stopping you.”

“Fuck, you are particularly annoying today.”

“Likewise.”

You stared at each other for a moment. Surprisingly, Lanque was the first to give in, turning his attention to the cabinets without a single word to you. He searched for everything with experienced efficiency, producing a feeding needle loaded with paste in a heartbeat. The thought of Lanque being a frequent carer for the grubs unsettled you slightly — you didn’t want to imagine such a bastard having the capacity to be gentle with the young, and yet you recalled how Wanshi teased him so affectionately, and the way he seemed to genuinely smile when he ruffled her hair.

Nope, you were not going there. Time to meet the troll babies. 

You crouched in front of a vat that housed one of your favorite grubs, a rustblood runt that fussed around too much and had the sweetest eyes. It blinked up at you in vague recognition as it laid in the slime with its little legs waving in the air, chirping at you demandingly. You smiled and scooped it up in your arms, cradling its head to your chest.

“Hello sweetie,” you softly cooed, holding it close to you as you maneuvered yourself to sit down and lean your back against the edge of the vat. The grub let out a soft growl and bared its sharp teeth at you as though it were yawning, and when you gently scratched between its horns, it stuck its tongue out and splayed out in contentment, nuzzling its little head further into the crook of your arm. 

Lanque had his back turned to you, waiting for an isolation pod to open as it hissed and released some sort of misty vapor to reveal a grub. You watched him discretely to make sure he wasn’t being rough with the poor thing, but Lanque placed the feeding syringe down and picked up the grub with as much tenderness as you had. He looked it over silently and stroked its tummy with one finger before getting the needle and holding it to the grub’s waiting mouth. 

You looked away and regarded the rustblood in your arms. One day, this poor grub will either get chosen by a lusus and live a dreary existence, or it will succumb to the circle of life before ever getting the chance to develop into a wiggler. 

You tried to avoid thinking about their fates when you were in the nursery. It was an endless cycle of depressing realizations, and you had enough misery to deal with. A part of you wondered if Lanque shared the same concerns as you when he tended to the grubs. 

_There is no happy ending on this miserable planet,_ a voice whispered in your head. _Not for any of us._

Suddenly, a sharp gurgling cry came from the vat, dragging you out of your thoughts. You peered over the rim and spotted the source of the noise — an oliveblood grub squirming in the slime within your reach. The disruption startled the others, prompting them to chitter nervously. 

Cradling the rustblood in one arm, you reached over the edge of the vat and petted the fussy grub with gentle strokes of your finger, shushing it with random words of comfort. So lost were you in your attempts to calm the grub that you found yourself humming a quiet melody. As you rested your head on the arm still holding onto the oliveblood, you began to sing a favorite song of yours, one that had always spoken to your childish hopes.

_Somewhere over the rainbow_  
_Way up high_  
_There’s a land that I heard of_  
_Once in a lullaby —_

Your voice, oh so soft and gentle, seemed to hold some sort of sway over the grubs. As the cacophony of chitters died down, the oliveblood stopped squirming, staring up at you with wide, inquisitive eyes. You smiled at it and continued.

_Somewhere over the rainbow_  
_Skies are blue_  
_And the dreams that you dare to dream_  
_Really do come true._

The ruckus had ceased, replaced with happy little meeps peppering the soothing silence. With one last caress of the oliveblood’s head, you checked on the grub in your arm and noted it had fallen asleep. You carved out a little indentation into the slime and placed the rustblood within, and when you looked up, you noticed Lanque was staring at you with an inscrutable expression. The grub in his hold was still sucking on the syringe for food.

You flushed and frowned. “Don’t look at me like that.” 

“ … “ He looked down at the indigoblood. “Don’t speW your heretical alien songs here. You’ll turn these grubs into cullbait.” 

You struggled back onto your feet and moved on to another vat for cuddling. “What’s the harm in it? They won’t remember what I say.”

“Don’t be so sure of that. And anyWay, our job is to ensure their surViVal. Nothing more, nothing less.” 

You glanced down at the new set of grubs and sighed sadly. “I guess you’re right.” 

“Look Who’s finally starting to come to her senses.” 

“Screw you,” you lightly quipped, yet there was no real bite to your words. 

He hummed. “You can do better than that.” 

“Shouldn’t I watch what I say around the grubs?” you asked, smirking up at Lanque as he scoffed and shook his head. “You know, I’m starting to sense a sort of civility forming here.”

“Yes, it’s remarkable to see you behaVe like a rational adult!” he said sarcastically, to which you rolled your eyes. “One Would think you Would hold on to your grudge, considering hoW horrible of a person you think I am."

“I don’t think you’re a bad person, necessarily. I just don’t approve of your … lifestyle choices.” 

“And I don’t approVe of your fashion choices,” he snarked back, and yet there was an air of mildness to his tone.

You could not resist a dry chuckle, picturing the wild outfit you wore to Ardata’s party. “Can’t fault you there."

He regarded you cooly for a moment before getting back to work, finishing feeding his grub and checking its vital signs in much the same way you had seen Bronya do before. Sensing the conversation had come to an abrupt end, you busied yourself with the rest of the grubs, wiggling their little claw-like legs and calming down a few cranky ones. 

The two of you went about your business without so much as a word between you. Whether it was awkward or not seemed to vacillate for you, and you were starting to wonder why Bronya was taking so long. Lanque showed no signs of discomfort with your presence. In fact, you felt as though he barely regarded you as a living organism when he was not addressing you. He finished with the indigoblood grub and repressurized the isolation pod, dumping the feeding syringe into a nearby compactor and began peering into the vats to see how the other grubs were doing. He came to a stop beside you and stood a little too close to your crouching figure.

“Oh,” Lanque chimed in. "I’Ve had such a miserable time Wigglersitting you that I almost forgot to mention hoW much of a pain in the ass Lynera has been for me.” He frowned and cocked his hip. “You can’t imagine hoW many shifts she’s throWn into my schedule. I can barely find a chance to get out of these damn caVerns.” 

Was this Lanque’s way of complaining to you? If he thought he’d find sympathy from you, he was about to be sorely mistaken. “Serves you right for how you treated her,” you mumbled.

“I told you, it Was nothing less than What she deserVed.”

“Even so, you had the chance to be the better person. She was trying to come out of her shell, and you made her feel terrible.”

“Be a better person? Why the hell Would I eVen bother for someone like her?”

“I’m asking myself the same question with regards to you. Are you even capable of respect and decency?”

“I certainly am,” he flippantly said. “When the situation calls for it. But I don’t oWe anyone a damn thing, and the sooner you realize it, the sooner you’ll get oVer What happened betWeen us.”

You blanched at his statement and quickly scrambled to your feet. _”Excuse me?”_

Lanque stared down at you with a smirk. “Isn’t that What this is about? It’s alright, you don’t haVe to use your precious Lynera to gain some kind of moral high ground oVer me. I knoW What I did Was fucked up, and I’m not the least bit sorry for it.”

 _“Fuck_ you, Lanque,” you hissed. "This isn’t about you and me. In fact, I don’t even want to respond to your insane accusations, because you’re wrong about me. You like to think that you have me all figured out, but you _don’t_. So fuck you — “ You whirled around and headed straight for the door. “ — and goodbye.”

“What, you’re giVing up just like that?” he called out.

You halted, feeling an odd sense of deja vu coming over you. Lanque seemed to take your pause for hesitation, crossing his arms with a triumphant smile. “Guess not. That Was easy.” 

You felt the angry beat of your heart against your chest and the rising heat coloring your cheeks. Lanque approached you slowly from behind, equal parts teasing and careful lest you lash out. The instant his fingers trailed over your arms, you jolted and turned to face him, ready to unleash your frustrations.

Except he was _very_ close to you now, hands hovering in the air after pulling away from you as you swiftly turned. You were momentarily stumped by his proximity, and he jumped at the opportunity, caging you with his arms on either side of you and leaning down to softly say, “This is your last chance, darling. Let it all out.” 

Fine. _Fine._ You were done taking the highroad. 

You stared up at him cooly. Not even seeing his handsome face this close to you could derail your anger. “You want to talk about ‘getting over it’? Ironic, considering the fact that you brought it up out of nowhere.” Lanque’s smile fell to a thin line. “I don’t care about that one-night stand anymore. Yes, what you did made me feel like shit, and I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you for making fun of me out of some misguided sense of superiority, but that’s not what pisses me off about you. It’s the fact that Wanshi clearly loves you, for reasons that you apparently keep hidden away from everyone else because you’re afraid of anyone getting close to you. But you _can_ be a good person, and that’s what makes me so damn angry.” 

“You’re pissed because I don’t giVe you some kind of special treatment? Goodness, I thought you Were at least smart enough not to catch feelings, you must be a masochist — “

You grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him roughly down to your level. He blinked at you in surprise as you snarled in disgust, “I do not have _any_ damn feelings for you, you insufferable piece of shit. You’re an arrogant, two-faced asshole, and I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

He glared at you as his hand gripped your wrist none too gently. “Don’t try to act like an angel. You made me look like an absolute _fool_ in front of my date.”

“Because I said you didn’t make me come?” You laughed bitterly. “I only said it because it’s true. In fact, I probably did her a favor by warning her. You’re not only an emotional vampire, but apparently a — an orgasm vampire, too! Taking whatever you can get without giving anything in return.”

“An orgasm Vampire … for fuck’s sake, I think I lose my intelligence WheneVer I listen to you.” 

“Looks like you have none to begin with, because for someone who claims to be so repulsed by me, you really go out of your way to antagonize me and get up in my personal space!” 

“Hmm.” And just like that, his rising temper fell into mild annoyance as he regarded your flushed face. Your grip on his collar had slipped away during your tirade, wanting to fall back at your side if not for his hand still keeping a hold on your wrist. As though he had read your mind, Lanque released your wrist and trailed a teasing path up your arm. When you jerked away from his touch, the corner of his mouth curled upward and a familiar glint appeared in his eyes. 

You frowned and pressed your back more firmly against the door. “What are you thinking … “

“I’m _thinking_ — “ he started, punctuating his words with a teasing lilt as he gripped your chin and tilted your face up. “ — that this is all feeling rather familiar.” His gaze flickered to your lips. “Don’t you think?” 

The gears started turning in your head as you narrowed your eyes at him. Fate sure had a messed up way of manifesting these situations for you, didn’t it?

“What the fuck do you want from me?” you tiredly asked. 

Lanque hummed a light chuckle and bared his fangs at you with a coquettish smile. You felt his other arm slither around your waist to pull you in, and for the life of you, you could not understand why your body refused your willpower to resist him. 

“Let’s haVe a repeat performance. I’Ve been thinking about your tight, hot nook eVer since that night.”

You blanched at his boldness, feeling a deep rage boiling within you. How _dare_ he have the audacity to try to fuck you again? You roughly shook your head to dislodge his hold on your chin and tried to shove him away from you, but the damn jade was stronger than his lanky appearance seemed to suggest, entirely unyielding to your attempt.

Ha. Lanky. You made a mental note to remember that for a sick burn.

“You’ve been insulting me all day and you think I’ll spread my legs for you?” you asked, slight hysteria coloring your voice. 

“Why not?” he said with a pout. “Are you really going to let some sass stand in the Way of getting your nook eaten out?” 

You paused. As pissed as you were, the thought of his soft lips leaving lipstick stains all over your thighs was a tantalizing mental image to behold. “Is this an attempt at making up for leaving me unsatisfied?” 

"Well, We can’t haVe you spreading such a Vicious rumor noW, can We?” His hands were at your sides now, trailing over your curves before settling dangerously close to your ass. 

Your mouth suddenly felt very dry. You looked away, hoping to regain some semblance of control despite the heat rising in your cheeks. “Like how you did with me?” 

He tilted his head and huffed. “Oh, relax. It Was just that one time. Don’t Worry, you aren’t that important to me that I’d go out of my Way to make your life truly unbearable.” 

“And yet here we are.” 

“Hmm. You really giVe as good as you get.” He almost sounded impressed, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow as you looked back at him. "What happened to the socially inept alien I had the misfortune of meeting?"

"What can I say? You bring out the worst in me.” 

"Seems to me you’Ve finally groWn an exoskeleton. I’d hardly call that a bad thing."

You opened your mouth to deliver a retort, but found your words failing you. Despite how painful it was to admit, you knew Lanque was right on some level. You were always a notorious push-over — how else could you have secured most of your friendships with dangerous trolls? But Lanque brought out another side of you, and you were not sure if you were happy to discover this combative attitude. It might land you in quite a bit of trouble on Alternia. 

While you were preoccupied with your racing thoughts, Lanque moved his hands a little lower to caress your behind, bringing your hips flush against his as he leaned down to whisper in your ear, “Enough stalling, sWeetheart. I’Ve less time to Waste than most, remember?” 

When you didn’t answer, he kissed the spot right below your ear as though to test the waters. You shivered at the unexpected contact and did nothing more. Another kiss was stamped to your jaw, followed by the corner of your mouth, and with no resistance on your end, Lanque went in for the kill. 

His lips caressed yours with a gentle touch, teasing and enticing you to meet him half-way. You remained still, even when he tilted his head and pressed more firmly against your unyielding mouth, moving slowly and peppering butterfly kisses until he finally got the hint and moved back an inch to look at your unimpressed stare.

“Come on, babe. Don’t be like that,” he coyly said, his tongue darting out to lick along his upper lip. “Are you really going to make me Work for this?”

“You offered,” you softly said, with only a hint of flustered raspiness. Your hand quickly slid into the hair at the nape of his neck, and you tugged him downward. “So get to it.” 

His eyes widened as he hunched from your firm hold, and immediately fell back into his suave demeanor, slipping his hands underneath your hoodie and leaning in to nuzzle the crook of your neck. “Oh my, What’s gotten into you?” he purred against your skin. "You Were so … _affectionate_ last time."

You rolled your eyes and planned to urge him onward, but with your line of sight unobstructed now, you were suddenly hit with a horrifying realization.

You were getting felt up in a room filled with alien babies. 

_”Lanque!”_ you hissed, startling him out of his lust as you actually managed to shove him away. “We — we can’t do this _here!_ ”

He was still for a moment before glancing behind him. “Hm.” 

The grubs were chirping from their vats. You raked shaky fingers through your hair and breathed, horrified with your lapse in judgement. What would Bronya say about your shameful behavior? 

You smoothed down your clothing in frustration. “I can’t believe we were about to … ugh, what is wrong with you?” you hissed at Lanque. 

He busied himself with readjusting his jacket across his shoulders. “Me? You Were seconds aWay from shoVing my face betWeen your legs.” 

“Right. Like you weren’t practically salivating at the chance to eat me out.” 

Lanque eyed you up and down and wordlessly grabbed your hand, forcing you to follow him out the door as you sputtered in confusion. The hallway was mercifully empty of any spectators who might question why you were being led into a closet across the nursery. Lanque locked the door behind him while you blinked in the darkness, feeling around the small space to gather your bearings. 

There were no grubs stopping you now. You were all alone in a confined space with the closest thing you have to an enemy, and with his yellow eyes flashing at you in the dark, your arousal and anger resurged with a vengeance. 

You crossed your arms and waited for his next move. _Let the bastard put in some effort for once,_ you thought amusingly. 

As it turned out, you did not need to wait for too long. Lanque's carefully maintained outfit was desecrated as he shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over a pile of boxes, and you gasped when he effortlessly maneuvered you around him and against the door. 

“Oh my gods you really want to do this,” you rambled, watching his eyes flutter shut as his face drew closer to yours. “We’re really about to do this in a closet this is — _mmph!"_

Your words were stolen from you in a breathless kiss. This time, you met his challenge with gusto, tangling your tongue with his and gripping him as close to you as he held you to him. It was fire, it was electric, it was bitterness and frustration that guided you both down this path, bodies melting into each other and your touch burning his skin, his fang cutting your bottom lip and you wrenching his head back by his hair — and he _groaned_ — forcing him to watch you lick away the blood all by yourself.

“You’re not fucking with me this time,” you said through panting breaths. 

Lanque growled, surging forward to plant his mouth at your neck — the side opposite from where Marvus had marked you — sucking and biting your sensitive skin as he expertly undid your shorts and shoved them down your hips. You bit your lip without thinking, wincing at the slight pain of his cut, and felt his fingers dig into your thighs.

With a final nip to your new love bite, Lanque moved up to breathe hotly in your ear. “Do you eVen knoW hoW pissed I Was after you said I didn’t get you off?” he harshly whispered. “HoW fucking _dare_ you embarrass me like that?” 

You giggled, and his nails nearly pricked your skin. “Was I wrong?” You angled your head to purr into his ear, “Why don’t you put your mouth to use then.” 

Lanque pulled back to throw you a smoldering look and dropped to his knees without complaint, roughly pulling your shorts further down. In your eagerness to finally see what you had missed out on, you shimmied one foot out of your shorts and let him throw your leg over his shoulder, giving him a clear view of your nether region. You pulled up the bottom of your hoodie to see as much as you could in the pervading darkness. 

One of his hands kept a firm hold on your ass while he trailed a finger through your folds, spreading the wetness back and forth until he retracted it, coming away with a slick trail clinging to his fingertip. His coquettish smile made you want to shove your foot in his face. 

“Despite your holier-than-thou bitching, you’re quite ready for me, hmm?” 

“I never denied that,” you groused, flushing lightly. 

He chuckled and returned to lightly tracing your outer lips while he kissed dangerously close to the crux of your inner thigh. “It makes sense, I suppose,” he cooed, and kissed your other thigh. “Who _Wouldn’t_ be excited to haVe me like this?” 

Oh, that _arrogance._

“Should I be, Lanque? Because so far, all I’m seeing is a whole lot of stalling. Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t know what he’s doing.” 

The look he threw you was absolutely murderous. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to anger a troll with sharp teeth when he was inches away from your crotch. 

Lanque surged forward and shoved two fingers inside you as he dragged his tongue through your folds without warning. A current of sharp pleasure ignited within you. You keened at the sudden sensation and slapped a hand over your mouth to muffle your cries as his fingers began to pump into you, and after a few experimental licks around your core, he seemed to have surmised a rudimentary understanding of what you needed from him.

And he certainly would not give it to you right away. 

He hummed a low tune, his mouth now fully pressed over your core as he licked and sucked in alternating rhythms. More often than not he purposefully avoided your clit, playing with your folds or running his tongue along your outer lips. And with his slightly warm breath ghosting over your clit with each pass of his maddening licks, you felt your last shred of dignity and restraint dissolve. Especially when his fingers hit a deep spot within you that made you roll your hips to draw them further in. 

You curled your hands around the base of Lanque's horns. His eyes fluttered open to look at you in question, and you flashed him a peeved expression as you tugged him up until his lips brushed over your clit. “Right _there,"_ you sighed, and when the tip of his tongue quickly flicked it, you dug the heel of your foot into his back and yanked him closer. 

Finally, _finally_ he gave in, latching on to your clit with unrelenting attention and adding a third finger to your soaking pussy. Your head fell back in a wordless cry, and you fought as hard as you could to keep from moaning. It was nigh impossible, with the sound of his wet licking permeating the small space and heightening your pleasure all the more, but you held strong regardless, focusing on breathing and chasing after sweet release. 

And with a particularly well-placed thrust of his fingers, you were an absolute goner — Lanque kept a firm hold on your thigh to hold you in place as you pulsed around his fingers and pulled at his hair, letting out a breathy sigh and silently thanking your luck that he was letting you ride out the post-coital wave with broad, flat strokes of his tongue. 

As you sagged back against the door, Lanque removed your leg from his shoulder and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smoothly standing back up to tower over you. He leaned down as you panted and kissed you, running his tongue along yours to let you taste yourself. You pursed your lips around his tongue and sucked as you pulled away, feeling his hands grip your waist and relishing in his quiet moan. 

A heartbeat of silence passed between you as you simply looked at each other. Lanque arched his brow and titled his head to the side. “Well?” he haughtily asked. 

Either he anticipated a rating of his performance, or he expected something in return. You deigned to offer him the latter option, guiding him to take your place at the door. He dutifully followed your lead, staring down at you with a heated look. 

You hiked up your shorts around your waist — Lanque quirked a brow at that — and settled down in front of him, slowly pulling down his pants as your hands trailed along his outer thighs. He had the common sense to unbutton his shirt, moving the bottom flaps out of the way to give you unrestricted access. 

“You’re being surprisingly cooperative,” you noted, sitting up straighter as your fingers glided up his inner thighs and settled at his slits, teasing the openings with light touches. 

“No reason to drag things out — _ooh … ”_

The tip of your tongue entered his nook and massaged his inner walls. The familiar minty taste you expected was muted by a tang of bitterness. _Probably because of all the drugs and alcohol,_ you wryly thought as you dipped in even further before fully retracting your tongue to lick and kiss his wet slit. 

His hand gripped the back of your head and pulled you in closer, earning a growl of warning and a sharp glare from you. Lanque merely smirked — you were getting really tired of that damn smirk by now — and spread his legs a little wider. 

“You look good like this,” he purred, stroking your hair. “Let’s see What that highblood taught you, sWeetheart.” 

_Oh, I fully intend to._ You ignored him and trailed your lips up his nook, leaving playful little licks here and there as he moaned above you. Your thumb ran along the sheath of his bulge in a slow figure-eight trail, and your heart raced in victory when you felt the slightly chilled tip of his bulge slide out from the slit. 

Your mouth was replaced with your fingers at his nook, parting his folds teasingly before you slipped in two fingers to the knuckle. You kissed his thigh and busied yourself with etching a reminder of this encounter on his skin, and the subtle push of his hips had you curling your fingers deep within him to elicit a rumbling groan. His bulge was fully out now, undulating in unnaturally alien flexibility as it sought out your attention. 

You _could_ go slow and sweet to warm him up. Your fingers were beginning to wrap around the base before he impatiently angled your head to the tip, and with his fate now sealed, you looked up at him to catch his stare as you wrapped your lips around it and brought him nearly halfway into your hot mouth at the same time as your fingers reentered his nook, letting your tongue cushion the underside of his bulge as it slid in with ease. 

Lanque’s head fell back against the door with a muffled bang. “Oh, _fuck,"_ he breathed out, fighting against your hold at his hip as his bulge writhed against the back of your throat. You couldn’t suppress the gag that followed, and he moaned in response. “Yeah, that’s it … choke on my bulge, kitten.” 

You did _not_ want to think about the shiver of pleasure that ran down your spine. 

His bulge was mercifully far more manageable than Marvus’s had been. You focused on relaxing your throat despite the occasional twisting and undulating, sliding your tongue around its slick, textured sides and adding suction whenever you pulled back to the tip. His harsh panting and deep groans were far more pleasing to you than you wanted to admit. 

Your fingers fucked into him at the same time as you sucked him off, and you felt the cold sensation of his fluids creeping down your hand and past your lips to trickle along your chin. 

He curled a hand beneath your chin and wiped some of the pre-slurry away with his thumb. “I’m going to — _unf_ — I’ll stain those pretty lips of yours a loVely shade of green for your — your damn highblood to see later,” he whispered harshly, and you swallowed around his bulge in retaliation, eliciting a breathy whine and a demand for more. 

Bold of him to presume that Marvus would be jealous in the slightest. You were tempted to tell him exactly that, but you were also particularly enthralled with how desperately he was grinding against your fingers and slowly unravelling under your ministrations. 

And yet, it was time for fate to resurface. Who would she be cruel to this time? 

Your name echoed through the hallway. 

“Oh, hell no,” Lanque groaned, bringing both hands to the back of your head. “Keep — keep going, _aaah_ , don’t _stop —_ ” His breath hitched as his nook fluttered around your fingers. 

Once more, your name was called out. “Where the heck did she go … “ you heard the distant muffle of Bronya's muttering, her voice closer to the closet now. 

Lanque’s bulge twitched at the disruption. Did he have a thing for nearly getting caught in the act? 

Just as a pulse of pre-slurry coated your tongue, a very wicked plan manifested in your mind. A _very_ wicked and rewarding plan.

You fought to keep from smiling, your mouth stretched around his bulge as it was, and retracted your fingers from his nook. Lanque bared his fangs in a grimace, and to distract him from acting up, you carefully extracted his hands from your hair, surprised and delighted that he was offering no resistance at this point. The poor bastard must be desperate for release. 

You grabbed his wrists and pinned his hands to the door as you struggled to draw his bulge even further into your mouth. The tension in his muscles seemed to both relax and tighten at the same time, and you swallowed around him again, your throat contracting around his length — 

Bronya, again. “Maybe she left already … “

— Lanque rolled his hips, his moan hitching with a sharp intake of breath — 

And you promptly slid his bulge out of your mouth to loudly proclaim, “I’m here, Bronya!” 

Footfalls stopped nearby. You quickly stood up and readjusted your shorts, leering at Lanque as he stared at you in utter disbelief, his bulge flushed and wriggling out in the open air. 

“Better put that away, _kitten,”_ you whispered, fishing out his red handkerchief from the discarded jacket to wipe away the pre-slurry coating your hand. 

You words seemed to prompt him back to reality. He hurriedly tugged up his pants and winced as his bulge slithered back into its sheath. “You _fucking bitch,”_ he hissed, fighting with the buttons at his shirt, and you couldn’t help it, couldn’t even hope to stop the shit-eating grin on your face as you cleaned your chin and pocketed the handkerchief.

Before Bronya could get too close, you shoved Lanque aside while he fixed his clothing, nearly tipping him over in the process as you opened the door and let the blessed light wash you free of any guilt. You narrowly dodged a kick and rushed out to face a surprised Bronya, a palmhusk in hand as she presumably had been in the middle of texting you. 

“Hello there! What were you doing in the storage closet?” she curiously asked, eyeing you in slight suspicion. 

“Just trying to find something in there for the grubs,” you smoothly replied, waving a hand carelessly. “Lanque was helping me, too.” You turned around just as he had stepped out of the closet, angrily fixing his jacket back around his shoulders and staring at you with orange-tinged eyes. 

Bronya walked right up to him, heedless of his murderous aura. “Lanque, look at the state of you! Are you feeling alright?” Bronya asked in a motherly tone, reaching out to help him do up the remaining buttons of his shirt. “You’re all flushed … “

“Hey, Bronya,” you called out, and she looked over her shoulder at you. Lanque never stopped glaring daggers at you. “I just realized I needed to meet with someone soon, so I can’t stick around for longer. I’m so sorry I didn’t warn you earlier, I was just so caught up with calming the grubs and searching that darn closet!”

“Not a problem!” she happily chirped, finishing up the top button of Lanque’s shirt and reaching for the undone tie. “Thank you for your help, I hope you’ll stop by again soon.” 

“Oh, I will,” you drawled, fixing Lanque with a pointed look. “See you later, Bronya.” You turned to walk away, and called out, “Bye, Moonshine!” 

“Moonshine?” Bronya murmured, and just as she nearly tied up the knot of Lanque’s tie, he smacked away her hands with unrestrained force and barreled past her. She let out a sharp gasp and jolted backward, her wide eyes trailing after him as he paced towards your retreating figure. 

Just when you thought you had finally escaped, Lanque caught up in a few strides and grabbed your wrist, wrenching you around so roughly that you might have felt a bone pop. You winced and said nothing more, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of having any sort of impact on you.

He glared down at you with such seething anger, fangs bared and skin still flushed a vibrant jade. You merely looked up at him with a bored expression and waited. 

“Give me your Chittr handle,” he forced out through gritted teeth. 

Oh. 

Oh gods, did you want to _laugh._

“No,” you said sweetly, pried his grip off your wrist, flashed him a cheery smile, and went about your merry day without so much as a backward glance.


	10. Because of You.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe how long it's been since i updated, sorry guys! this chapter just did not want to be written, but i soldiered through it and i can safely say this was very self-indulgent. thank you for your continued support, and expect best clown husband to appear next chapter :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> _It was a mad world, we lived for fun_  
>  And we got shit for free  
> Had a face like an angel, but inside my heart was as black as a broke movie screen …  
> But then I saw you standing there, like a millionaire  
> Give me a number, call me before I get stupid  
> Make me uncrazy like you did
> 
> Look at me now, I have everything  
> You gave to me and my heart can sing  
> I was a kid who could only drink  
> Dance on tables, makin' deal with devils like a drunk beauty queen  
> Fighting the fantasy, hooked on the scene, but you brought me to my knees  
> And it's all … because ... of you  
> \- Lana Del Rey
> 
>  

You weren’t quite ready to head home just yet. With the fire of determination burning in your soul, you hunted down Lynera — her craziness was exactly the sort of personality you wanted to bounce your new high off of. She was lurking in her hideout, focused on some sort of paperwork scattered across her desk. At your warm greeting, she instantly perked up, momentarily abandoning her work to excitedly buzz about your arrival and launching into a million rants about the other jades as you made yourself comfortable on her couch. 

Dear, sweet Lynera. You let her run hot and cold with her monologuing so she got everything off her chest, because you owed her a lifetime of perfect friendship for not chasing after her when Lanque had told her off. 

You hoped that bastard was fuming after your beautiful payback. Maybe you should have given him your Chittr handle, just to laugh at whatever angry insults he would have sent to you.

“So.” You began with an air of utter discreteness, checking your nails inconspicuously. “I heard you’ve been giving Lanque a hard time lately.” 

Lynera had slipped back into looking over her papers before you spoke. She whirled around to face you, her pupils narrowed into thin slits and her cheeks tinted jade. “ - !!! who told you that !!!"

Oh boy. A flustered Lynera was a dangerous one. You plotted your next move carefully and hoped her knife was stashed far away somewhere. Or even disposed of, as you had recommended to her one time. “He told me,” you confessed. Lynera’s eyes widened. “He was keeping an eye on me earlier at the grub nursery and just started venting. And you know what?” You flashed her a thumbs up. “Keep up the good work.” 

She blinked in astonishment before meekly fidgeting in her seat and glancing away. “ - i just couldnt let him get away with what he said to me you know.“

“It was pretty fucked up,” you said in agreement. 

“ - !!! and !!! “ Her eyes lit up once more. “ - !!! i dont want him thinking that im a weak little pushover because im not !!! - !!! he has no idea who he messed with !!! - !!! that rude pathetic slut !!! “

You quietly regarded her. “Holding a grudge, are we?"

“ - !!! I — I … !!! “ Lynera bit her lip and flushed brighter than before. You furrowed your brows at her odd response. “ - im going to prove to him that im not a weakling who runs from fights and if he has a problem with how im treating him then he can come see me instead of gossiping.” She shook her head. “ - funny how hes doing exactly what he criticized me for.”

“ … it sounds like you _want_ him to confront you again.” 

“ - !!! you know what yes i do !!!” She squared her shoulders and puffed out her chest, hands clenched into fists. “ - !!! lanque probably thinks i cant take him on because i ran away last time but !!! - !!! i am stronger than he thinks and i want him to know that !!!”

“Lynera?” She calmed down momentarily and glanced at you. “Do you … Is this some sort of pitch flirting?” 

Instead of the sort of vehement opposition you knew only she was capable of — volcanic outbursts and graceless flailing — Lynera merely deflated, hanging her head as her eyes swam with unshed tears. “ - … i just really hate him ok.” 

Fuck. Of _course_ she would take his challenge in stride. It was so difficult to keep up with what trolls consider platonic or not. 

Guilt pierced through you as though Lynera had personally slid her knife deep into your chest. How could you have missed the signs? It’s not like Lynera was known for being subtle. 

And then you remembered the sort of person Lanque was. Toxic, rotten, and completely in control of his vices. Lynera would not survive his manipulative scheming. You were anxious just thinking about how swiftly and efficiently he would break her down. 

“Is he really someone you’d want to get involved with?” you asked.

“ - what why.” Lynera narrowed her eyes at you. Uh oh. “ - !!! why wouldnt i he is so hatable and and — !!!” She pushed up her glasses and rubbed away her tears. “ - maybe it could help me get over bronya i dont know.” 

“Lyn, come here.” 

She looked at you questioningly, and when you patted the open space beside you, she mustered up a weak smile and made her way over to you. You pulled her into a tight hug as soon as she sat down, and she squeaked in surprise, her hands hovering in the air before settling hesitantly around your waist. 

“Don’t do this to yourself,” you spoke through her curly hair tickling your nose. “Hooking up with an asshole isn’t going to magically make your love for Bronya disappear. The challenge might be enticing, but you and I both know you deserve someone better.” You pulled back slightly and met her stare. “Only idiots fall for someone like Lanque. And you are not an idiot.” 

Lynera sniffled, and this time, her smile was more genuine. She nodded and said, “ - maybe youre right."

“Just think on it, okay?”

“ - yes i will.” 

“And will you think more on what I said before about throwing out these torture devices? You _know_ Bronya would be horrified by the stuff in this room.” 

She glanced at the iron maiden, panic blossoming on her face. 

Oh, sweet Lynera. What were you going to do with her, you wondered fondly.

-

“You did _what?!”_

“You heard me.”

Tagora looked at you with beaming pride as he sipped his drink. “We’ll have to celebrate this, you know."

You giggled and waved dramatically around the cafe. “What do you think we’re here for?” 

“No no, you deserve far more than a coffee for your sleazy efforts.” He placed a hand on top of yours. “I mean it, that was some top-notch payback. Clearly my influence is finally rubbing off on you.”

“Oh, Gor-Gor.” You laced your fingers with his and smirked. “You should know by now that the student always surpasses the master.” 

He eyed your connecting hands and blushed lightly, yet made no effort to pull away. Progress, you told yourself. “You wish," he teased. “This sort of talent is in my blood. _Your_ intentions are ruled by something far more … concupiscent.”

“Mhm.” You took a gulp of your coffee. “What does that word mean?”

Tagora looked at you like he swallowed sour moobeast milk. This time, he retracted his hand, opting to rest his head against it. “Will you ever cease to amaze me?” 

You smiled. “Never. And by the way, there’s been a new development that I may or may not need some advice on.” 

“My counseling services don’t come cheap,” he snarked, and you lightly kicked him under the table, earning a disgruntled look as he wiped away the nonexistent dirt from his trouser pants. 

_”Anyway_ — pretending I did not just hear that — I realized that I might have stepped on some toes, so to speak.” Tagora quirked his head in question. “It looks like one of my friends is pitch for Lanque.” 

“And why is that your problem?”

Damn, leave it to him to be so blunt. “Because she’s my friend, and I don’t want to accidentally get in between whatever fuckfest is brewing? But I also feel like I _should_. I don’t want her getting hurt by him.” 

“What, do they have some sort of history?"

“I guess? She’s the friend who brought me to the hive party and got told off so harshly that she left in tears."

“Hah!” Tagora fell back against his chair in a fit of sharp laughter. “That’s _gold._ She couldn’t handle the heat then, and so what makes her think she can take him on now?” 

You pursed your lips. “The girl has torture devices in her hideout, Gor-Gor. Another very good reason for why I don’t want to cross her.” 

He simply waved you off and snorted. “Please, like you haven’t survived worse. If you want my opinion, then I suggest you keep doing what you’re doing and let her wallow in her misery. With the stunt you pulled on him, I guarantee you have nothing to worry about. Or better yet, bulge block her, piss her off, and get with her instead.”

“That advice is the exact opposite of what I expected, and also makes no sense."

“What’s there to not understand? It’s a perfect set-up, a win-win situation if you play your cards right.” Tagora steepled his fingers and leaned forward, diabolical intent etched all over his face. “You either reveal your elicit escapades with the slutty bottom feeder and get on your pal’s bad side, or you continue this ongoing battle. It’s quite the beautiful situation, really. You have all the power here."

“This is really weird,” you admitted weakly. “You … _want_ me to have an enemy? Wouldn’t you want me to be free from this drama and let Lanque deal with his own bullshit?” 

“Uh, no? Why wouldn’t I want you to be in a kismesissitude? Especially when it’s off to such a passionate start.” 

You tried several times to offer a rebuttal, but the words just couldn’t come out. “What do you mean _kismesissitude?"_ you shrieked, earning a few glances from nearby patrons and a smarmy smile from Tagora. You blushed and toned down your outburst. “That is a _relationship._ What Lanque and I have is explicitly the _opposite_ of a relationship. We — this is, i — it’s platonic hate!” 

“Right. And it was also very platonic when you were slobbering all over his bulge."

“Tagora. _Disgusting."_

“Fine! Be in denial all you want. That’s how it starts, anyway.” He sighed and leaned back. “You owe me another drink for this headache.”

You mentally thanked him for switching the subject, because you were about to lose your mind from his ridiculous assertions. “Sure thing, just put it on your tab."

“You mean _your_ tab.” 

“Nah. I’m not exactly on a payroll here."

“Weren’t you the one who recently mentioned lavishing me in expensive chocolate and creating a pile of luxurious ablution robes? I think there was some serenading being offered as well."

“Yeah, but where do you think I’m gonna get the funds to do all of that?” 

“You’re planning on wooing me with my own hard-earned money?”

You cheekily grinned and held up your drink for a toast. “Is it working so far?” 

He rolled his eyes and lost the battle to return your smile, clinking his cup to yours. “I’ll decide once I see that pile.” 

“Assuming that _you_ won’t be the one to make it for me.”

“If you come back to my hive with me right now, I can guarantee a very comfortable pile made from a mountain of spreadsheets detailing your massive list of debts to me."

“And you say I lack a sense of romance — “

“ ♥ Did someone say _romance?_ ♥ ”

Oh _no._

A hand settled over your shoulder, uncomfortably close to the bare skin of your neck. Tagora was staring above you with an expression of frozen civility, laced with an undercurrent of panic that only a highblood could evoke from him. And as Zebruh settled into a stool right in between you two, flashing you a toothy smile and over exaggerated wink, you wondered if Tagora would be able to take this monstrosity in stride. 

“So nice of you to join us, Zebruh,” you weakly said, offering a half-assed smile.

He ignored your obvious discomfort, as usual. “Imagine my surprise when I noticed you while I was taking a stroll! ♠ Not that I was actively looking for you, though. ♠ ♣ That would be a very inappropriate thing to do, because it would seem like I’m trying to take control of your lowblood autonomy for my own selfish gain. ♣ “

“Um, w — well I _am_ sort of on a da — “

Zebruh whirled around to face Tagora, who had noticeably straightened out as though someone had shoved a rod up his ass. He leaned in unnaturally close, forcing Tagora to inch back ever so slightly. “ ◆ Hello there, I don’t believe we’ve met! ◆ “ He held out a hand in greeting, and Tagora immediately met his handshake with vigor, as though spurred by an instinctual pull. Zebruh did not let go. “My name is Zebruh, although you’ve probably heard a lot about me already through our lovely mutual friend here. ♥ It’s so admirable to see a midblood of your stature forgoing commonplace laws to protect an alien! ♥ “

Then, and only then, did Zebruh withdraw his hold, grinning pleasantly all the while. Tagora looked absolutely murderous behind his customer service smile. “The law means _everything_ to me — “ he forced out through gritted teeth, and before he could launch into a scathing attack, your foot darted out beneath the table to rub up against his lower leg. He met your heavy handed stare and seemed to catch the meaning behind the subtle shake of your head, because his breath escaped him like a deflated balloon as he loosened the tension in his frame and weaved his hands together in front of him. This time, his poker face was spot on. “ — and that is why I offer equal representation to all people, regardless of their blood color or species,” he finished off. “Oh, but where are my manners. I am Tagora Gorjek, legislacerator-in-training.”

Usually, Tagora finished off his introductions with the offer to call him by his nickname. He always told you that breaking the ice while networking was of utmost importance to him. The absence of such a peace offering was very telling, at least to you. And you could not be more proud, or more relieved. Zebruh would definitely have taken it the wrong way otherwise. 

“It’s a _pleasure_ to meet you,“ Zebruh said, and turned to look at you with a contemplative expression. “ ♠ I didn’t know you had teals for friends. ♠ ◆ I hope you’re protecting yourself from exploitation, because they are a really ruthless bunch. ◆ “ He glanced at Tagora, the corner of his mouth curled up. “ ♣ Not that I blame you at all, of course; it’s just a teal’s nature, you know? ♣ “ 

Tagora sat in silence for a moment. You were starting to grow concerned before he smoothly replied, “I commend you for being so socially aware of my caste’s shortcomings. It is rare to meet an indigoblood who is capable of introspection.” 

Zebruh nodded sagely. “I take this sort of stuff very seriously. ♣ Fighting for lowblood rights is an honor and privilege that very few can boast about, but I am willing to sacrifice my standing to protect the weak. ♣ “

You reluctantly patted his forearm that rested on the table in an effort to get his attention away from Tagora. It worked splendidly — Zebruh’s eyes lit up at the contact, and he scooched his stool a little closer to your side before throwing an arm around the back of your seat. “He’s really _such_ a good friend to me, Gor-Gor,” you forced out, discretely inching away from Zebruh until you sat at the edge of your chair. “Your drink is getting cold, by the way!”

Tagora brought the mug so rapidly to his face that he nearly smacked himself with it. You taught him this trick a while ago, to hide his expression if he was getting too riled up in the presence of someone who would cull him for his disobedience in an instant. 

With that taken care of, you poked Zebruh’s side and said, “You don’t have to worry about Tagora. He treats me better than most!” His pleasant grin faded a little. “But not as much as _you_ , of course.” 

“ ♥ Your safety has always been my top priority, sweetheart. ♥ “ Tagora choked on his drink. “ ◆ If I don’t look out for you, then who else will? ◆ ♥ And considering how close you and I have gotten, I say this as someone who is as invested in developing our potential quadrant as you are. ♥ “

Tagora was openly glaring daggers at the back of Zebruh’s head. Your Gor-Gor Panic Meter was lighting up with the intensity of the Alternian sun — you could sense a meltdown coming soon. 

“That’s really so kind of you!” you squeaked. “But remember how we decided to just be friends? Very, very good _platonic_ friends with no pale feelings whatsoever? Remember that, Zebruh?” 

“I’m fairly certain her quadrants are being filled these days,” Tagora pipped up, his claws digging into his cup as his diplomatic grin took on a darker undertone. 

“ ♠ Really? ♠ ” Zebruh glacially asked, retracting his arm from around your seat. “By who?” 

“By me,” he replied with slight bite. “And various other individuals. Surely you must have heard, given that you are _so close_ to her.”

Oh, your indigoblood friend did not appreciate that. “ ♣ Well that’s pretty damn presumptuous of you to say, considering you didn’t let her answer for herself! ♣ “ He shifted in his seat to face you and grasped your hands in a pleading gesture. “ ◆ My dearest companion of unspecified nature, please see this toxic situation for what it really is! ◆ ♥ You deserve to be treated like the _queen_ you are, not silenced into submission. ♥ ”

You stared at him with a deadpan expression. “It’s really not that serious, dude.” 

Zebruh sighed dramatically and shook his head. “ ◆ I can’t bear to see you beaten down like this and remain so unaware. ◆ Do you _see_ what I mean about teals now?"

Tagora slammed his drink down on the table none too gently. “I’m terribly sorry for having given you such a poor impression of my character,” he hurriedly said. “And I wouldn’t dare presume that you are capable of ever being wrong about these things, but with all due respect, that is my moir — my _associate_ you are speaking to, and I must politely request that you — th — that you unhand her.” 

_Oh my gods he almost called me his moirail and now he’s going to die after talking down to this crazy fucker —_

You were frozen from an onslaught of emotions as Zebruh obliged Tagora’s demand in favor of leaning into his personal space. “You know, I’m sensing very strong hostility coming from you. ◆ I can vibe with that! ◆ ” He tugged on his bowtie and winked. “♠ If you wanted a formidable kismesis, you could have just said so. ♠ ” 

Tagora looked like he was ready to faint on the spot from the suggestion. You have never seen him look so pale and scandalized. “Regrettably, I am entirely unavailable in that regard!"

“Oh. ♠ Then you’re just trying to piss me off. ♠ ” He folded his arms in an attempt to appear intimidating, yet his petulant expression made him look utterly pathetic instead. “I came all the way out here to see my best friend, so it’s kind of rude of you to lead me on with pitch flirting and leave me hanging like this!” 

You needed to salvage this shitshow immediately. “Didn’t you say you were just passing by?“ 

Zebruh flushed indignantly. “W — well, whatever! ♣ You should be thankful that I’m even giving you the time of day — either of you! ♣ “ He pointed at you. “In fact, I’ve been nothing but kind and supportive to you, so I think you owe me for my efforts.”

Tagora sputtered in his haste to reply, but you cut him off with a sharp look. He inhaled deeply and slumped back against his chair, his eyes taking on a concerning shade of darkening yellow as he roughly carded his fingers through his hair. “What do you propose I owe you?” you asked lightly. 

Zebruh’s eyes widened and he tilted his head in confusion, as though he did not expect you to be so agreeable. He tapped his chin thoughtfully until a smug look overcame him. “I’m feeling pretty hurt by all of this rude treatment. ◆ I wouldn’t mind a chance for you to join me back at my hive for a relaxing feels jam session to discuss how much this exchange has affected me. ◆ “ 

To you, the statement was utterly harmless — it’s not like you haven’t had a sit down with a friend to talk about personal issues before. But to Tagora, Zebruh may as well have thrown his drink in his face and pailed you right on the tabletop for all to see. His face was practically fluorescing teal, a stark contrast to the eerie orange glow of his eyes. And with the way his teeth were digging into his bottom lip to hold his outburst at bay, you suspected he was about to draw blood soon. Thank the _gods_ Zebruh was turned away from him. 

You shot out of your chair and slammed your hands down on the table. “We! We really need to get going, don’t we, Tagora?!” you exclaimed in a wavering voice. “We have to meet with Tyzias soon for your study session!” Zebruh frowned, and you hastily added, “I’m so sorry, we really lost track of time. To answer your earlier suggestion, I’ll have to say no to that, but I am very flattered by the offer! Why don’t you walk us out?” 

Zebruh tisked, languidly getting up and stuffing a hand into his pocket. “Fiiine. ♠ It’s not like I was serious anyway. ♠ "

You expertly sidestepped his attempt to wrap an arm around your waist to guide you to the exit, quickly coming up to Tagora as he silently stood and watched the spectacle with no small amount of distaste coloring his sneer. 

“We’re almost rid of him,” you whispered conspiratorially, ignoring his sour mood and looping your hand through the crux of his arm. 

He nodded stiffly and kept you as far away from Zebruh as possible, situating himself between you two on your way out. You smiled secretly to yourself as you felt him press up against your side, presumably to keep _himself_ away from Zebruh as well. Even in the throes of anger, Gor-Gor was still a wimp around highbloods. 

The crisp air filled your lungs with much-needed calmness once you stepped outside. Tagora radiated tense energy beside you, staring straight ahead as though in an effort to forget the situation he currently found himself in. 

You put yourself between him and Zebruh this time, hoping he would have the chance to cool down while you handled the indigoblood. “Which way are you headed?” you innocently asked.

Zebruh pointed towards the downtown area, where the suburban streets quickly morphed into seedy-looking buildings lit up by neon advertisements. “I was on my way to a hot new club that opened up recently, before I so graciously decided to stop by and see you. ♥ I heard that the owner is a pragmatic rustblood, and I just _have_ to meet him! ♥ ◆ Would you be interested in joining me? ◆ “ He eyed Tagora critically. “I’m sure your _friend_ can get his homework done without you."

You heard a barely-restrained growl beside you as Tagora grasped your hand in his own with a vice-like grip. “I’m sorry, Zebruh, maybe next time,” you said with an apologetic smile, angling your body towards the opposite direction. “Text me all about it later though!” 

He pouted and grumbled about not seeing you enough these days, but finally relented in the end, throwing a careless wave as he walked off. You wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t follow you, but Tagora jerked you forward and stormed towards an aimless direction. 

“Tagora, slow down!” you huffed, tugging on his hand. “We’re in the clear. You don’t have to power walk us to another continent.” 

“There is no place far enough away from that _creature,"_ he hissed, coming to a full stop and releasing his hold on you to stare down at his hands in livid contempt. "That _disgustingly_ sweaty palm of his ruined my skin!” He curled them up into fists as they trembled, and his voice began to take on a hysteric edge. "And to add insult to injury, he had the fucking audacity to assume that I would _break the law?_ Like you’re some kind of charity case to me!” he ended in a screech.

“Gor-Gor, he’s gone now,” you said in a hushed whisper, hoping to quiet him down as you flushed at his outburst. To your surprise, passersby paid little to no attention to him, going about their day as though this was a normal scene. Considering the violent nature of trolls, you suspected that to be the case. 

Tagora groaned and shook his head as he buried his fingers in his hair and pulled so tightly that you rapidly grew concerned for him. You gripped his shoulders and shushed him down, but he barely acknowledged you, throwing his head back as he stared wide-eyed up at the sky with a disturbing expression. “That fucking highblood thinks he can walk all over me,” he seethed, before cutting himself off with a high-pitched giggle. “And he can! _He fucking can!_ Because I’m just a lowly _ruthless teal_ who he feels the need to protect you from, _while thinking I would spread my strut sticks for him!"_

You balked at the crude statement. “Tagora, no — “ 

He sucked in a sharp breath and suddenly stilled. Your momentary hope of him finally calming down promptly evaporated as his eyes darkened to an alarming shade of red, his pupils narrowed into thin slits. You flinched when he finally looked at you. “That piece of shit lowlife just couldn’t leave you alone, could he?” he muttered in an eerily quiet tone. “And right in front of me, too. And I couldn’t do anything about it.” He broke off into another round of freaky giggles, no longer looking at you, but looking _through_ you. “I may be just a weak teal, but I can still show him how gogdamn ruthless I can be, _because when I sic the drones at him, he’ll be nothing but a pile of fucking ash by then!"_

You stepped back as Tagora doubled over in a fit of vicious laughter. Yep, he was absolutely incomprehensible now. 

It was your time to shine. 

You have prepared for this moment for quite a while, considered all angles of approach and optimal spots for papping. The traditional seated frond hinge shooshpap was standard protocol, considering how squeamish he got whenever you dared to touch his face, but you have kept a killer technique hidden up your sleeve. 

You had his lusus to thank for the bout of inspiration. Tagora had overworked himself into a frenzy one evening and ended up borderline passed out on the couch at his lusus’ behest, laying obediently as the ferret meticulously groomed his hair and dug his little paws into tense muscles. You had watched with curiosity, seated off to the side so as to not disturb their bonding moment. Just as you had prepared to slink away, the lusus lightly chittered at you to sit back down, and with a knowing look cast to you, he scritched at the nape of Tagora’s neck. 

He had melted into absolute putty for the rest of the early morning. And if his lusus had bequeathed Tagora’s weak spot to you for a purpose, then you were obligated to carry out his wishes. 

So while Tagora continued to rant and rave into the night sky, you sneaked up behind him and snuck your way under his long hair to touch the nape of his neck. Tagora froze instantly, like a prey caught in a predator’s grasp. You gave him no time to react, gently raking your nails along the exposed skin in a meandering pattern as you quietly shooshed him and petted his upper arm with your other hand.

Within a split second, all the tension in his frame melted away. His arms dropped to his sides and his head fell forward as he let out a deep sigh, giving you better access as you curled your hand around the back of his neck and stroked it with your thumb. You peered over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his face, and you were stunned to see how relaxed he looked, eyes closed and mouth slightly open, and a substantial blush coloring his cheeks. 

“Did you get it all out of your system?” you softly asked. 

“Yes,” he meekly whispered.

“Will I need to resort to more shooshpaps in the near future?”

“No."

You sighed and released your hold on him, coming around to stand in front of him with folded arms. “You’re an absolute nutcase sometimes, Gor-Gor.” 

Tagora blinked at you, eyes finally settled back to their normal yellow hue. He huffed and looked away, still lightly blushing. “Well. I _might_ have a bit of a problem regulating my temper. If you know a better way to deal with a lifetime of pent-up anger and humiliation brought on by the complexities of Alternian society, let me know.” 

“It wouldn’t kill you to smoke a blunt once in a while.” 

Tagora glared at you. “It _would_ kill me, and I will kill _you_ if you bring that shit anywhere near me. Bad enough that you come to my hive smelling like that garbage.” 

You giggled and smiled impishly. “Looks like I won’t need to.” You wiggled your fingers. “My shooshpaps are an effective tranquilizer, apparently.” 

He bit his lip. “How did you think of that move?”

Should you out his lusus as your partner in crime? Better not — you might get some more insight from the ferret at a later date. “I guess I just know you that well. It took a while to figure out your preferences, since you’re so weird about being touched.”

“So you’ve put a lot of thought into it … ?”

“Sure have,” you cheerily admitted, and Tagora’s blush reappeared with a vengeance. “Wow, that’s quite a reaction.”

You expected him to lash out at you in denial, and yet he simply shuffled in place as he rubbed his shoulder, his bang obscuring half of his face from your view. You cocked your head in confusion at his sudden silence — 

And you were promptly pulled into a tight hug. Your heart thumped as you stood frozen in shock as he briefly nuzzled the side of your face before pulling away with lightning speed and settling his arms behind his back. 

Tagora briefly cleared his throat before saying, “That was … a thank you. F — for caring, and … and doing that for me.” 

You thickly swallowed and nodded, slowly succumbing to the realization of what your shooshpap had meant for your friendship. A while ago, you had done the same for Polypa. You recalled how strange her reaction had been, reminding you that she needed to remain professional as she fought back her flustered blushing. And the way she had melted into your touch …

It looked eerily like an orgasm, quickly followed by post-coital relaxation. 

Gods, did you just … 

“I, um, I’m sorry,” you blurted out, wringing your hands nervously. 

He furrowed his brows. “For what?” 

“For … you know, not warning you in advance? I’m just now realizing that I should have asked for your consent to do that. I never really considered how intimate a shooshpap was … “

Tagora’s eyes widened, and he softened his expression. “I don’t. I don’t mind."

“You’re not upset with me?”

“Of course not. It’s not like it w — wasn’t, ah, _unwanted.”_ Tagora held out a hand for you. You shyly complied, and this time, his hold on you was tender as the two of you resumed your walk. “Anyway, aren’t you afraid of me when I get like that?”

You tittered. “What the heck is there to be afraid of? I know you would never hurt me. Besides, I’m pretty sure I can lift you with one arm.” 

_”Hilarious."_

“Oh, and by the way, I figured out how I’ll fund your expensive taste.” Tagora quirked a brow, and you grinned sneakily. “I’ll be pilfering your swear jar. You owe it a hefty fee after your meltdown.”

He chuckled. “It’s still _my_ money.”

“Not when I tell your lusus about your uncouth, boorish behavior.”

“So you know what those words mean, but not ‘concupiscent’?”

“I can only listen to Galekh for so long before my mental thesaurus gets filled up for the day.” 

“Ugh.” Tagora rolled his eyes fondly, and you squeezed his hand without thought, simply basking in how happy he made you.


	11. Groupie Love - Part 1.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok so ya girl figured out what work skins are and how to use chucklevoodoos on css so i could make texts colored!! buckle up buckaroos cause this reading experience just got even more fun and homestucky
> 
> short chapter this time around, sorry folks!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Time after time, writing my lines_  
>  Having my baby there next to me  
> It's so sweet, pouring you a drink  
> And pretending that nothing means anything  
> This is my life, you by my side  
> Key lime and perfume and festivals  
> Taking our dreams, turning them to things  
> It's like magic, babe, isn't life wonderful?  
> — Lana Del Rey

You were taking a much needed rest at your dingy hideout, nestled within a pile of scavenged pillows and blankets on your makeshift porch while you browsed social media on your palmhusk. Sometimes, it felt nice to just be alone with your thoughts. No friend hunting, no putting yourself in scenarios that made you look pathetic, no life-threatening injuries, none of that. Just you, your online fame, and the twin moons shining down on you. 

It was a good night. You spared a quick look at the moons and said a mental prayer of thanks to the Mirthful Messiahs for keeping you safe today. 

And as though on cue, your palmhusk vibrated with a new message. 

It was Marvus. Your heart was doing somersaults. 

— hi hi pretty bby

— hello marvy what’s up?

— so pops b squakkin bout u nonstop n ive been missin yo azz  
— want 2 cum over n take a dip in the pool w us  
— but mostly me ;o) ;o) ;o)

— how did you know i wanna do that?? 

— pops spilled the fart niblets 

— wtf is a fart niblet omg 

— u know they them thangs that look like rocks n grow in da dirt n taste p good  
— anyway wanna come by 2nite fr a swim

— i’d love to, but I don’t have any swimsuits. 

— even better ;o) 

— marvus, I’m not swimming around butt naked with your lusus right there! isn’t that where he lives?? 

— ok ok  
— just come ill take care o the deetz 

— what, you have tiny swimsuits laying around your hive?

— na ima get u sum real quik  
— im on my way back to da hive so ima stop by sumwhere 

— that is really sweet of you to offer, but I can’t let you spend money on me for such frivolous stuff … 

_How is this any different from when you get pampered by Tagora?_ your inner voice of reason grumbled. 

You flushed and bit your lip. It was totally different! Tagora was one of your oldest friends, and you were pretty sure by now that taking care of you was some sort of secret kink he had. Besides, you didn’t want to give Marvus the wrong impression, like you were some kind of gold digger who was finally showing her true colors. He meant more to you than that.

— lmaooo  
— wat u think this is gunna put a dent in my bank account  
— babe i got tissues more ex$$pensive thn a bikini lolol

— someone deserves to be served a humble pie!!

— buddy babe o mine i no u wanted 2 swim in the sea so how u was planning on doing dat :ol

— … naked? :o) 

— omfgggg  
— stop teasin me n jus say yes 

— hmmm idk … 

— :ol 

— :o))

— can u say no to this face  
— :’o( 

— okay fine!! i submit.

— yeeessss  
— play hard 2 get sum more next time bb its kinda sexxxy ;o)

— lol marvus!!  
— you just like the chase.

— only cuz i no im gunna get a whole snacc as my reward

You had to take a moment to breathe as you slapped your hands over your cheeks to calm your furious blush. When you had the mental fortitude to pick your palmhusk up again, Marvus had sent another message.

— n dat snacc gonna be ate l8er ;;;o))) 

You threw the palmhusk down once more, said yet another prayer of thanks to the Messiahs, and dove right back in. 

— careful now, you’ll end up making my nook taste like faygo!

— o shit that sounds fxxkin dope, even more of a reason to imbibe  
— its a plan lil mama  
— b seein u soon ;o* 

— im so excited!!!  
— thank you so much marvy, have a safe ride back to the hive.

There was a brief moment of no response — odd for Marvus, he usually answered back immediately. 

— ty beautiful  
— ta taaa~

You spent the next few minutes rereading the conversation more times than you would ever admit to yourself.

-

After getting the go-ahead from Marvus to come over, you threw on your signature hoodie and parkoured your way to the scuttlebuggy, hidden among a bundle of large leaves to keep robbers away. You fondly recalled the time you caught Charun trying to rummage through the trunk — nothing could evade their masterful foraging skills, not even your camouflage attempts — and fixed you with a blank look for a good minute after you explained that it was yours. They still managed to nab something inconsequential for their efforts. Your friends were such lovable weirdos.

The ride to Marvus’s hive was long but eventful. You had your feet propped up on the dashboard while the autopilot worked its magic, continuing your perusal of GrubTube and sending funny videos to Mallek. Not many people could rival your obscure preferences for memes and video compilations, but he always threw you in for a loop with his excellent taste. 

You were in the middle of watching a scene from the troll version of Scrubs when your palmhusk suddenly pinged from a notification. Much to your delight, it was your favorite teal.

— How are you? 

— living my best life, gor gor

— That’s not a comforting statement. *______  
— What are you up to?

— hehehe  
— on my way to see marvus :o) 

— I sincerely hope that’s not his typing quirk you’re picking up. *______  
— Anyway, please take care of yourself.  
— No bruises this time.

— but where’s the fun in that??  
— plus i know you like to take care of me when i get hurt.

You watched the typing bubble appear and reappear several times before he answered. 

— You are awfully presumptuous and also I am at work.  
— So let’s keep this conversation clean.

— why was i being lewd by pale standards?

— Yes. *______  
— And I know you have no filter, so before this starts getting out of hand I will say goodbye.

— boo ok bye!  
— don’t forget to have lunch like last time.  
— <3

You exited out of the messenger, thinking the conversation was over. Yet just as you prepared to load up another video, Tagora texted you again.

— Did you mean to send that?

You furrowed your brows in confusion, before it finally hit you.

— lol forgot trolls are weird  
— here, for u:  
— <>

— Better.  
— <>

_Lovable weirdos,_ you fondly thought to yourself.

-

You were buzzing with excitement as your scuttlebuggy rolled into the driveway. Within a few dizzying moments you were ushered through the front door and pulled into Marvus’s arms, and you giggled as he kissed you soundly before bringing you inside to go to his respiteblock. He was mercifully devoid of facepaint this time, sparing you the need to wipe your face every few seconds.

“Now that’s a warm welcome if I ever seen one,” you teased. “You’re a very gracious host, Marv.” 

“Only for u,” he quipped back with a wink, and you shyly looked away as a smile played on your lips. 

His eyes searched your blushing face while he grinned, before glancing down and losing some of his flirtatiousness. He paused in his step to pull you a little away from him, and you followed his line of sight to the cerulean sign on your hoodie. 

“Wut’s dis?” Marvus asked, still attempting to smile despite it not reaching his eyes. He cradled you in one arm to tug at the hoodie, as though he wanted a better look at the zigzagging blue. 

“It’s just a gift from a friend,” you rushed to explain, settling a hand over his and squeezing it lightly. “He gave it to me a long time ago when I barely had anything. And since I’m practically a vagabond, I kind of need all the clothes I can get. Is something bothering you about it?”

Marvus regarded you with the barest hint of scrutiny. Seemingly satisfied, he resumed his walk and cradled you to his chest. “Ain’t no big deal,” he said, voice tinged with mirth. “U got ur buddies n i got mine, it’s all gravy bb. And since u and i are such good pals, then it’s about time i got u sum goodies, too.” 

You lightly pinched his cheek. “I’m not looking for handouts!” 

“Yea yea.” He leaned in to purr into your ear, “U gonna take wat i give u and u gonna like it.” 

“Are you sure I’m here for swimming?” you asked in amusement, peering at him with an arched brow. 

“I mean u can do watever u want, all i know is i got plans to b swimmin in wet nook tonite :o) “

“Has anyone ever told you you’re as subtle as a brick?” 

“I ain’t hearin u complaining sooo — “ He cupped your behind and gave it a squeeze. “I’ma getchu all dolled up for pops, we have a good time together, and then it’s u, me, and sum kinda surface.”

You chuckled and kissed his neck. “Sounds like a plan, Marvy.”


	12. Groupie Love - Part 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> folks, i've hit a gigantic mental roadblock so I had to divide this chapter because i feel bad for sitting on this for so long! I'm hoping that by getting this out here, i can finally feel a bit more free and get some inspiration back. so pls have this incomplete chapter and i am sorry for being so slow at updating!

With a surprising show of restraint, Marvus led you to his walk-in closet and left you to change into whatever was currently stuffed away in the shopping bag you were proffered. He didn’t go too far away though, rummaging through his neatly folded drawers and leaving a gigantic mess in his wake as he searched for his swim trunks. 

You quietly giggled to yourself as you watched him wreak havoc on his lusus's hard work before turning your attention to the bag clutched to your chest. It was lightweight, which meant he hadn’t gone overboard with shopping — thank goodness, because you would not have been too comfortable with anything more. You reached in to dig through the tissue paper and stumbled upon something that felt incredibly soft, and incredibly expensive. 

_Gods damn it, Marvus,_ you mentally sighed, fishing your gift out for closer inspection and setting the bag down on the floor. 

It was a purple colored two piece with scattered lilac polka dots. The fabric was truly luxurious to the touch, giving you the sense that this bikini was worth far more than your entire miserable existence. You had to try it on _immediately._

You shucked off your clothing in record time, folding it neatly on top of a cushioned seat lest you appeared rude to your kind hosts. Marvus sported his swim trunks by the time you were slipping on the bikini, his eyes unabashedly raking over your nude body. You were none the wiser, smiling cheerily to yourself as you marveled at how the fabric hugged your curves in all the right ways. How could you _not_ admire your figure in the full-length mirror? 

While you turned this way and that to check yourself out, Marvus slinked up behind you and whistled appreciatively. 

“You just couldn’t resist the purple, could you?” you teased, flashing him a smile.

“It looks better on u thn blu,” he brazenly said, gripping your hips as he pulled you back against his solid form. 

You shook your head in exasperation. “And how the heck did you figure out my size?” you asked, smoothing your hands along your curves. “It fits like a glove.” 

Marvus cast you a playful look through the mirror. “All I had ta do wuz this — “ His hands slid up to cup your clothed breasts, squeezing lightly. “ — got me a good point o reference from last time, yanowat I’m sayin?"

“Are you telling me you went around feeling up bikini tops until it felt right?” 

“Yeee.”

“Holy _shit!”_ You doubled over in a fit of laughter, unable to catch a breath for a solid minute as Marvus grinned in amusement. Gods, it felt good to laugh. “Y — you must have looked crazy to the salespeople!”

He chuckled. “Na, i think they were too starstruck to care.”

While you came down from your giggles, Marvus seemed to be drawn to your body once more. His hands drifted to rest on your neck, fingers lightly trailing over the hickies on either side — one that was fading away since last you saw him, and a newer one, stamped in as an inescapable reminder of your illicit tryst. 

“Got red blood, but u bruise purple … “ he murmured, transfixed by the stark contrast of the colors against your skin. 

You sobered up quickly at the pensive tone of his voice. “They fade to green in the end,” you replied. 

Marvus's gaze flickered to yours in the mirror, something possessive hiding behind that inscrutable expression. His thumb traced the new mark. “I don’t remember givin u this.” 

“ … you didn’t.” You frowned, confused by the sudden change in discussion. “I met with the guy who said I wasn’t a good lay. Got some good revenge out of it.”

Marvus tilted his head curiously, still slightly guarded. “U keeping me in suspense, lil mama.”

You twisted around to properly look up at him and placed your hands on his chest. He wrapped his arms around you and smiled lightly. “I got what I wanted out of him,” you explained, a glint of mischievousness in your eyes. “Can’t say the same for him.” 

“Oooooh, so it b like dat huh … “ Your features twisted into a confused frown. “Proud a u, bby,” he said, carding his fingers through your hair. “N-e-wayz, u ready to pay my good ol pops a visit?” 

“I’ve _been_ ready,” you replied with excitement, but before he could break up your hold on each other, you hugged him closer to you and shyly smiled up at him. “Thank you for the swimsuit, Marvus.”

He stroked the back of your head. “Ya welcome babez."

“You know this means I’ll have to repay you somehow, right?” 

“The fxxk u will. Seeing u smile like dat is payment enuff."

“What, no follow-up with something perverted? Like, _’seein yo fine ass and strutsticks is also a bonus’?"_

“Lol who wuz talking bout humble pies earlier??? ;o) "

You rolled your eyes and laughed, grabbing his hand to head for the pool area.

-

Dolphin dad leapt out of the water in a dramatic display of joy as soon as you and Marvus arrived, squeaking up a storm and flapping his flippers as you came over to the edge of the pool to pet his head and say hello. He nuzzled you affectionately before diving backwards and reappearing a few meters away, chirping at you to join him. And you were about to, if not for Marvus settling a hand on your shoulder to pull you back.

“Whoa, u lookin to drown, lil mama? Gotta get u some gear first before takin da plunge.” 

You huffed a laugh and obliged him by stepping away from the edge, watching him fix you with a stern look before walking off in search of something. _Maybe some goggles?_ you thought to yourself, glancing back at the murky aquamarine water, where his lusus raced around like a white torpedo. 

You dipped your toes into the water to get a feel for the temperature. It was a little chilly, but nothing you couldn’t handle. Marvus’s lusus swam towards you after noticing the disturbance, and before you had the chance to react, he crept out just barely enough to spray you with water from head to toe out of his blowhole, and dove back in as you shrieked with laughter. 

“Hahaha he got u good, eh bud?” Marvus called out, walking back over to you with some plastic balloon-like stuff in his arms. “Pops used ta do that to me all the gaddang time wen i was younger.” 

“I guess that’s a pretty universal thing to do,” you said with a laugh, shivering lightly and itching to jump into the pool. “What’s that you got for me?” 

“Well speakin o me bein a lil clown, ya boi couldnt swim w/o deez.” He held out a circular object that you quickly registered as a floatie, all purple and covered in neon prints ripped straight out of a human bowling alley. In his other hand were two smaller floaties for arms with little dolphins on them. 

“Oh my _gods!"_ You cooed at the tiny swimming gear, trying to picture a wiggler Marvus splashing around in the water with his lusus. It amazed you that you were small enough to fit into the same stuff that he did as a child. “This is so cute, I can’t believe you still kept it all.” You reverently took the two arm floaties and had to hold back from gushing over them any further. “But what’s this for?” You looked up at him with amusement. “You think I can’t swim, tough guy?” 

He cocked his head to the side, a quizzical frown taking form. “Uh yea wat kinda rusty noes how to swim?”

“The kind that’s an alien who comes from a planet where our beaches are relatively safe and no one has a claim over the seas.” Marvus seemed taken aback by this bit of information, and you wanted to explain further, but you were rather restless in your eagerness to get into the water. Before he could say anything, you returned the arm floaties, flashed him a cocky grin, and ran for the pool. 

“Yo hold _up_ — "

Too late. You brought your arms out in front of you and dove headfirst, slicing through the water with all the expertise of a practiced swimmer. The sharp cold quickly gave way to a numbing warmth, and you smiled at the heavenly feeling of bubbles tickling your skin, and the way your hair fanned around your face like a fuzzy halo. 

You could hear Marvus’s lusus trilling at you, loud and clear as the sound propagated through the water. Daring to open your eyes underwater, you quickly peeked to see him racing towards you. You barrel rolled just as he got to you and circled around him, booping his snout on your way up before you broke through the water and breathed in new air. Dolphin dad followed shortly after, his head poking out beside you as you moved your hair out of your face to see Marvus’s reaction. 

You were not disappointed — he was staring at you with his mouth wide open, arms empty of the floaties as they lay abandoned on the floor. 

“Guess you shouldn’t assume things based on blood color!” you called out teasingly, swimming closer to him. “Don’t just stand there gaping like a fish, come join me.” Dolphin dad eeked in agreement.

Marvus recovered with grace, shoving the floaties aside with his foot as he grinned widely at you. As he stood at the edge of the pool, seconds away from diving in after you, you were suddenly transfixed by his sculpted body — lean, impossibly tall, and so utterly beautiful. 

And you had him all to yourself for the night. The thought was rather daunting, as it always was whenever you realized Marvus had chosen to make time for you out of his busy schedule. 

_Why me?_ you wondered, watching him dive into the water with perfect form, disappearing into the water’s depths. 

You idly floated in place, waiting for him to resurface. As if on cue, Marvus suddenly broke through the water right in front of you, sucking in a breath as he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you against him. You giggled at the sight of his inky hair plastered across his face like ribbons of seaweed and moved them away for him, cupping his cheeks and tracing the corners of his toothy smile with your thumbs. 

“U better keep yo fishiness quiet, cuz if a seadweller finds out then yo azz is a goner,” he said. 

You looped your arms around his shoulders and stopped kicking your legs in the water, letting him keep you both afloat. “Is it really unheard of for lowbloods to know how to swim?” you asked. 

“Mebbe dey gots their own wayz of enjoying the water, but i ain’t never seen one swish swooshin like u.” His hand trailed down your lower back, fingers creeping under the waistband of your bikini bottoms with the intent to cup an asscheek. “That was hot as fxxk, babe. Lookin all graceful n shiz.” 

You tilted your head up at him invitingly, admiring the deep purple of his irises as he stared at you with hooded eyes. The dark circles underneath were still there, ever present. “Sweet talker … "

He hummed a low chuckle and leaned in to meet you halfway for a kiss. But before your lips could meet, you were both suddenly sprayed down with a deluge of water, forcing you to sputter and turn away from the source of the attack. You were met with a chorus of rapid-fire chirps from Marvus’s lusus as he poked his head out of the water — if a dolphin could ever look equal parts scandalized and amused, he had it down perfectly. 

Marvus meekly grinned while you hid your face in his neck from embarrassment. “Ehehe sry pops :o) "

_“Eek!”_

“Ok ok we’ll behave! Gad _damn,_ dude … “

You couldn’t help laughing — watching Marvus getting scolded by his lusus was officially your most favorite thing ever. Dolphin dad nudged your shoulder with his smooth snout, prompting you to look at him curiously as he jerked his head to the side and trilled. Taking the hint, you wriggled out of Marvus’s embrace and latched onto his lusus’s back.

“Looks like I’m being stolen away from you for a change,” you quipped. 

“Don’t worry babe i’ma getchu back ;o) “ 

Dolphin dad chirped something that sounded a lot like ‘we’ll see about that’, and you yelped as he sped away, holding on to the creature for your dear life in preparation for dolphin shenanigans. 

Oh, the stunts this lusus pulled with you. Marvus had made himself comfortable on an underwater bench by the pool’s edge and watched you get tossed around like a rag doll. You weren’t complaining though — it was ridiculously fun, especially when you regained some of your gracefulness and turned into a an acrobatic mermaid. 

Every so often, you caught a glimpse of Marvus admiring your figure just before you dove back into the water. He looked very in his element, leaning back with self-assured swagger as the ends of his long hair pooled around him, and damn it he was holding your stare now and you were just bobbing in the water like a buoy. You suddenly felt like a drowned rat compared to that ridiculously statuesque man. 

Marvus eyed your reddened face with leisure. “Reddy to b taken back yet?”

“How are you gonna do that from all the way over there?” you asked.

This seemed to be just the response he was looking for, judging by his scheming grin. “U bout to find out,” he ominously replied, and glanced behind you, where you were sure his lusus was creeping around. “Yo pops, u no wat to do!”

A loud ‘eek’ soon followed, and you had no time at all to react — dolphin dad dove right under you and rammed up against your butt with enough force to propel you out of the water. You screeched and flailed around in the air, your cries nearly drowned out by the sound of Marvus’s laughter as you landed in his waiting arms. 

“You two are _insane!”_ you harped, struggling to readjust your awkward landing in his grasp while Marvus had the nerve to laugh even harder. Even his lusus was partaking in the merriment at your expense, trilling as loud as his charge until the room was nothing but an echo chamber of obnoxious guffawing. 

You were ready to give Marvus a piece of your mind — what if he hadn’t caught you and you slammed your head on the pool’s edge? — but your brief bout of sourness melted away when Marvus very suddenly, and very loudly, let loose an adorable snort in between his giggling, and _wow_ was your heart melting at that sound. 

_Like father, like son,_ you thought, placing your hands on his chest and softly admiring how young he looked right now. 

“Dat wuz too good, man,” he finally managed to say, his laughter tapering off as he positioned you to straddle his lap. 

You shook your head and chuckled. “How do you do it, Marvus? How do you still manage to look so cute and endearing while snorting like that?” 

“Lolol maybe u just got weird taste in homies idk, u da one who wanna shove horns up nooks, like who tf thinks like dat lmaoooo — “ 

“You are never going to let that go, are you?” 

“Hell na dat shiz funny as fxxk, got me thinkin bout it sometimes wen i’m chillin w da crew.”

Now that was unexpected. You never imagined he would spare you a second thought when you weren’t hanging out together. “Aw, you think about me?” you teased.

Marvus pulled you in closer and moved away some stray wet curls clinging to your forehead. His touch was as light as a feather; you found yourself craving more of it. “Sure do, lil mama. Hence y i gotchu here. Couldn’t wait to see u again.” 

Your chest tightened, and you found yourself unable to speak. Even your corny comebacks were stuck in your throat. You could feel a furious blush heating your face, and you wanted to look away, but the way Marvus held your stare had you transfixed. It was rather jarring to be so captivated by his self-assured confession while he retained his composure. 

_He wears a mask of charming deception,_ a niggling thought carved itself into your mind. 

The silence between you two was deafening. You wanted to blurt out the truth immediately — _I think about you all the time too and I always miss you and I want you to give me a chance_ — but you knew better now. This wasn’t some sort of fairytale. You were marooned on a hellish planet where everyone wanted to kill you or use you — 

Whoa. When did you start being so _depressing?_

“I think we should make out now,” you brazenly said, because Marvus was so damn close to you, his breath fanning over your lips, and you were entirely too ready to forget your existential stream of consciousness. 

He pulled back slightly to regard you with an impish expression. When you cocked a brow at him and tilted your head up demandingly, he snorted and gave you a teasing peck. The cold softness of his lips still lingered on your mouth long after he broke the kiss, a tingling sensation that reminded you of fizzy faygo. 

A hesitant trill came from behind you, catching Marvus’s attention. You turned to glance at dolphin dad, who was staring at his charge with the same sort of intensity that Tagora’s lusus was prone to doing when he had something to say. Marvus seemed to understand, offering a short nod as you looked between them curiously. Satisfied with the response, his lusus wordlessly disappeared beneath the water and reappeared at the staircase, ambling out of the pool towards the doorway with as much grace as a bipedal cetacean could manage.

With his lusus out of the water, you were once again reminded of how huge the creature was. Behind that silly-natured smile hid a sharp row of teeth, and beneath the smooth white skin were monstrously powerful muscles fit for slicing through metric tons of stormy saltwater. It was a wonder why he chose to stay within the confines of domesticity. He was built for survival, much like Marvus himself. 

“How come he stays in this pool instead of the ocean?” you asked, looking back at Marvus. "Is it dangerous for him to be out there, too?”

“Heeeellllz yeea it is, those chum buckets b out dere killin lusi left n rite. I ain’t abt to take any chances w my pops.”

“Wow, that’s awful … “ You glanced at the doorway through which his lusus had disappeared. “I wonder if he misses the sea.” 

“He mite, but if i gotta choose to keep him safe or free then the answer is p obvi. Besides, he’s living good here. Got errythang he needs.”

“But he gets lonely with you gone all the time, right?” 

Marvus frowned momentarily, before his lips curled up in a teasing grin. “Guess u gotta come by more often then,” he drawled, his hands slowly gliding down your sides. "And if u behave, then mebbe i can keep u safe here, too."

You trailed your fingers along the downward slope of his horn. “Don’t get too pale there, Marvy. We were seconds away from some quality smooching action.” 

He bent down to press a kiss to your shoulder, and began a teasing trail up your neck. “Daaang,” he muttered against your skin, “No more social faux paus from my fave alien buddy?”

“Nope. Not yet at least.” You angled your head to the side to let him continue his path. His lips lingered over your newest hickie, as though he was debating whether or not to override Lanque’s challenge. You whimpered when you felt his teeth nip the mark before his cool tongue soothed the sting. 

His hips rolled up to grind against the seat of your bikini, his grip on your hips resolute. You were seconds away from succumbing to his guiding rhythm when you briefly came to your senses. 

“Maybe not here,” you said, pushing Marvus lightly away. “What if your lusus walks in on us?”

“Naw, pops went off to make dinner. He aint no bulge blocker.” He glanced around the room in consideration. “We can get on outta here tho, aint too comfy pailin in the water.”

You happily agreed, willing to lose some of your buzz in favor of following Marvus to a more appropriate setting for getting down and dirty. He passed you a fluffy towel on the way to a new area you hadn’t seen before, furiously working at drying his massive mane while you snickered quietly to yourself.


	13. Walk Into The Light.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> waow an upload??? you best believe it! thank you so much to all the kind comments and support, I'm still truckin dudes. I'm ride or die for this fandom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _We looked into the stars, foretold everyone_  
>  Something dark and wicked this way comes  
> We told of oddities, crawling from the dark  
> And a carnival which we can all belong  
> — Insane Clown Posse 

“We gots da rest o the day to ourselves cuz i cleared my schedule, so don’t b feelin rushed or anything, k?” 

“ … “ 

“Babe?” 

“Huh?”

You nearly bumped into Marvus when he stopped walking. He used his towel to move his hair over one shoulder, patting down the residual wetness as he curiously glanced back at you. “I sez we got da hole day to ourselves.” 

His arm came around your shoulders to guide you beside him, and you shivered from the coldness seeping into your already-chilled skin. You wrapped your towel even tighter around you and flushed at having been caught not paying attention, offering him an apologetic smile. “You didn’t have to do that,” you softly said.

“Ey it aint no biggie, sumtimes a clown gotta take a breather with a cutie n air out da thinkpan, u no wat i mean? Looks like u need it too cuz idk wats got ur pan wandering back dere but i get it, lavish hive n all dat shiz, gotta b a lot to take in — “

The corner of your mouth quirked up. Marvus really loved the sound of his own voice sometimes — a stark contrast the awkward ramblings you were prone to. You mentally breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn’t asked what had made your attention wander a few moments ago, because you would have been honest to a fault, and he certainly did not need any more ego boosts. 

But can anyone blame you? Was there a living soul in existence that would blame you for being distracted by the way his wet shorts clung tightly to his ass? Yes, his performance attire usually left nothing to the imagination, and you have seen him entirely naked before, but this was a level of tantalizing you were simply unprepared for. 

So while you quietly lamented at missing the opportunity to cop a feel, Marvus led you through what appeared to be a personal bar and lounge. The entire side of the spacious area boasted an incredible view of the ocean and the fenced off expanse of the backyard, and the bar situated across this view was littered with every known faygo flavor known to troll kind. Twin glass cylinders framed either side of the bar, filled with glowing red and green liquid that cycled slowly like lava lamps. It was quite the bougie setup, all in all.

“You’re so predictable, you know that?” you snarked, motioning to the multicolored assortment of bottles. 

Marvus pinched your cheek and quickly avoided your swatting hand. “Gotta keep my guests entertained, booboo.” He eyed the bar thoughtfully. "U want anythin?"

“No, thanks," you said, walking ahead of him towards a seating area — which was a rather polite term to describe an amalgamation of gaudy neon beanbag chairs and ottomans scattered in front of a giant television. You glanced over your shoulder and smirked. “Just you.” 

He paused just before reaching for an orange faygo bottle, watching you busy yourself with laying out your towel on a purple divan. _Nothing like sticking a middle finger to subtlety,_ you thought to yourself, listening to his heavy footfalls coming towards you. As you leaned over to smooth out a folded edge near the far corner, your breath hitched when a pair of hands settled over your hips to pull your ass up and back against damp, clothed skin. You looked over your shoulder and felt your stomach curl into knots as Marvus grinded his crotch into you. 

“Lovin da view over here, babez,” he rumbled, his hands trailing lower until his thumbs could play with the top of your bikini bottoms. 

Your gaze flitted to the window panes. “Don’t you see it every day?” 

He paused his movement. “Who’s da clown here rite now?” You giggled, and he slipped a thumb beneath the swimsuit to pull it slowly down over the curve of your ass. “I meant _this_ , but ‘chu no dat.” The lower half of your bikini slid down your thighs, exposing your nether region to the chilled air. 

You spread your legs wider as Marvus dropped down to his knees before you. He let out a rumble of appreciation and stroked your folds, his touch sparking immediate pleasure. “You always feel so cold … “ you murmured, closing your eyes and burying your face in your folded arms as his tongue joined his fingers. 

“Dat botherin u?” 

“Hell no.” You canted your hips in further invitation. “More, please. Entertain your guest, Marvy.” 

“Aaayyy now dats wat I’m talking abt,” he said with a grin, and buried his face between your legs. 

And you lost the ability to speak for a while after.

-

Your body felt both light and heavy at the same time, post-sex instincts battling to either force you to succumb to sleep or taking advantage of laying in Marvus’s arms to work him up into another round. His hair had lost its volume from the persistent dampness, giving it a glossy shine as the locks tumbled down his shoulders like tendrils. You wove a dark curl around your finger and marveled at the coarse texture, thick and almost fur-like in contrast to your human hair.

“U feelin ight, hun?” he softly asked. 

You rested your cheek on his chest and smiled up at him. “Mhm. Just a little sore, but I’ll be okay.” 

_Sore_ was a bit of an understatement, but you didn’t want to worry him. Especially not when you had been the one to prompt him to be a bit rougher this time.

_You were straddling his hips with your back facing his front, your hands balanced on his thighs as you grinded against his bulge. It curled and undulated between your legs in unbearably firm strokes, the tip occasionally venturing near your cunt._

_Marvus had his arms folded beneath his head as he watched you, a passive spectator to your needs. Finally, you took him into you with an unrestrained sigh, easing onto his thick bulge at your own pace. It wiggled and squirmed within you, rubbing up against your sensitive spots so deliciously that you felt your muscles relax and take him in even further. Your nails dug into his thighs, eliciting filthy words of encouragement._

_And it all felt so wonderful — your back arched and sweat trailed down your spine from your exertion, and with each push and pull, each moan torn out from his throat, you steadily realized that it just simply was not enough._

_He gripped your sides and guided you up and down his bulge as he met your downward motions with light, circling upward thrusts. You squeezed around him — a weakness of his that you quickly picked up on — and he jerked his hips up with more force._ ”More,” _you commanded in a drawn-out moan._

_His hand trailed along your back and curled around the nape of your neck. “U sure, baby?”_

_“Please,” you breathed out, placing your hand over the one left at your hip and entwining your fingers with his. “I can take it.”_

_And you did, finding yourself laying down on the divan and leg swung over his shoulder as he pounded into you. “Any of yo bucket buddies pail u this good?” Marvus growled, leaning closer to you to let him enter you even deeper. “Any of dem scrubs takin care o my lil mama the way i can?”_

_You found enough coherence within yourself to reply, despite wanting nothing more than to fall away into senseless lust._ ”No,” _you sobbed, and something possessed you to cradle his face between your hands — you_ had _to bring him down for a kiss, not the brutal sort he had anticipated, but sweet in chaste, in your own way. “No one like you,” you whispered against his lips, and his relentless pace faltered for only a moment before he groaned and stole your breath away with a heated kiss._

You flushed just thinking about it all, and shyly remarked, “I’m glad I’m not smothered in facepaint all over my body."

“Hehehe not many get dat privilege.”

“Yeah?” You folded your arms beneath your chin to look at him. “And why’s that?"

He pursed his lips as he stared up at the ceiling. “Cuz clowns only take off paint fo quadmates or really tight homies, like hella tight.” 

Oh. Uh. 

Wow. 

Your brain was suddenly feeling rather numb. 

You scurried onto your hands and knees to kneel over him, blanching at his nonchalant expression. “And you just — you just _let me_ wash your face last time?! Marvus, what the hell?” 

“Yo relaxxx b.” He lazily smiled at you, in that charming yet sleazy showman way that had you blushing in no time. “We tight, ya dig?” 

“I — um — well of _course_ we are b-but — you need to remember that I don’t understand these nuanced cultural details! Like, what if that had meant more to you than it did to me, that’s so fucked up and wrong!”

“Fxxked up fo who? :oO “ 

“For _you!"_

Marvus let out a sharp laugh, followed by a peel of giggles. You sat back and folded your arms, ignoring the twinge of pain between your legs. “U one hell of a firecracka! It ain’t dat big of a deel — not unless i wanted it to b. So don’t get yo nook in a twist; it’s all gravy, baby.” 

You deflated in relief. “If you say so. I wouldn’t want that to have been like … a declaration of something, if that makes sense.” 

“Nah we juss havin fun, i no dat. I ain’t the type fo dat srs shiz anyway,” he lightly said. “We got enuff labels for who got wat blood or wat job they gonna have n all dat bull, ya know?” 

“ … Yeah.” 

_You say that, and yet …_

_Why were you so possessive?_

A heavy weight settled at the pit of your stomach. You felt off, and you had no right to feel that way.

-

Dinnertime with dolphin dad — just the right sort of levity you needed after a shower. You helped yourself to a few pieces of fried cluckbeast legs while Marvus devoured everything in sight, complete with horrible table manners as he spoke with a mouth full of food. You just _had_ to get a picture of his uncultured face smothered in sauce as his lusus threw him a peeved look, it was a beautiful sight to behold.

“I’ma b outta town for a hot min, juss lettin u no,” he said, chasing down a disgustingly crunchy bite of beetle ass with faygo.

You stared down at your phone to avoid looking at that nastiness, busying yourself with posting Marvus’s picture on Chittr. “Where are you going?” 

He scrunched his nose. “Sum shizhole overpopulated w highbloods, wassit called … Gillglub? Gutgort?” 

His lusus pipped in with a trill.

“Yea, dat.” 

“I, too, fail at geography lessons about my home planet.” 

Marvus speared a worm on his fork and twirled it around as he spoke. “I make it a point not to b wasting any pan space on rememberin cities named after fish puns. Now dats sum prime uninspired nonsense rite there.” He popped the worm into his mouth and mumbled. “Can’t blame the bucket heads too much tho, they just aint born w any creativity beyond how to go about guttin their kills.” 

You kept a tight lip about purplebloods and their penchant for violence. “I take it you’ll be entertaining the sea dwellers then?” 

“Yea, sea dwellers and indigos for da most part.”

Your palmhusk buzzed in your hand. You discretely glanced at the screen — two messages, one from Chixie and one from Zebruh. _Speak of the devil._ “Do you, um … are you going to make them cull each other?”

“Nope, offing a sea dweller gonna get the drones buzzin. ’Sides, don’t wanna get her royal fishiness pissed.” 

“The _Condesce_ will be there?”

He chuckled. “Thank messiahs no, just her c-list mini me.” 

“Ah. Trizza.” The heiress’s sharklike smile flashed through your mind, stunningly beautiful and dangerous all at once. It was a face you could not afford to forget. “Have you met her before?”

“Couple a timez.” The look on his face was one of complete revulsion. He finished off with a mumble under his breath, more to himself than for your ears, “Damn chick can’t ever take a hint.” You quirked your head in question, but Marvus did not elaborate further. “Speaking o fish stix, u said sumthin pretty interesting earlier abt ur planet.”

“Hmm … about our beaches?”

“Yeeea.” He leaned forward, resting his chin on one hand. The pulverized mush of bugs was finally left untouched. “And da seas, too. Tell me wat u meant by all dat craziness. Yer waters are safe?” 

You wistfully smiled. “Safe is _relative_ , but yeah! I mean, we still have dangerous animals living in the oceans, but they don’t typically bother humans on beaches and coasts. And if you’re wondering about our seas being claimed as territories, then prepare to be amazed, because we thought of that, too.” You paused for dramatic suspense, shoveling salad into your mouth before continuing. Marvus was watching you with rapt attention, his lips curled up into a lazy grin. “Our oceans are legally outside of any nation’s jurisdiction, so humanity only holds claim over land. For the most part. Politics gets a little sticky, so it’s not completely true, but yeah. We try to enforce it.” 

Marvus narrowed his eyes, the indulgent smile having now fallen into a serious frown. “Who da hell made that a _law?_ Who got dat kind of power over ya’ll? Cuz i don’t c how forbidding the exploitation of such a major re$ource benefits yo empire.” 

“First of all, we don’t have empires anymore. Secondly, we don’t have a single ruler for all of Earth. That power is divided among many different insular territories, and _these_ territories — called countries — have different forms of government. And all of these governments met up one day to mutually agree to leave our oceans alone so we don’t kill each other over it.”

“Yo … u fuxxin deadass dude? Ya’ll ain’t tryin to unify each otha? Like y da fxxk is errythin so divided — ya’ll humans got different species or sumthin?"

You decided to save the tale of Genghis Kahn for another day. “Funny you ask that, because there _used_ to be different species of humans like thousands of years ago, but now there’s just one. We either interbred with each other or killed off the ones that aren’t around anymore. _Anyway_ — gosh there’s just so much to tell you — it’s a little hard to explain how and why countries were formed. Humans tend to look different depending on where they come from on our planet, which coincides with the country they are from. But that’s not a complete given anymore, because we always move to different countries and intermingle with the local population. Especially with the advent of air travel!” 

“Wuzzat? Like star ships? I guess it’s gotta be, cuz dats how u came here.”

“Um … not quite that advanced, no. I meant something more domestic, like space crafts that let you travel from place to place on Earth. We’re still in the early stages of space travel — that’s somewhat of an unexplored frontier.” You huffed a soft laugh. “I have no idea how my spaceship made it all the way here, to be honest. It’s never even been done before!” You slumped back into your seat. “All we managed to do so far is land on our moon. In the words of the great Buzz Aldrin, it was one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind.” 

“So ya’ll are underdeveloped space mammals, huh. Altho — “ Marvus rubbed his chin in thought. “Guess u ain’t all dat underdeveloped, cuz we don’t even have that domestikk tech u wuz mentioning. At least not on Alternia. Who knows wat the Condesce allows on other conquered worlds.” 

“We’re still pretty dumb in the grand scheme of things. Still warring over dumb territorial disputes or killing each other over religion, race, sexuality, you name it. For a species that relies on cooperation and love, we sure do love killing each other.” 

“Religion … “ Marvus hummed. “Also, lmao, cooperation n love? R u srs?” 

“If we get into it right now, we won’t be leaving the table for a long time. Humanity is so much different from trollkind."

His lips curled up once more as he eyed you. “Guess dats y u such a softie. Ight, two questions — wats race and sexuality?” 

“Oh boy.” A sudden urge to yawn surfaced. You politely covered your mouth and rubbed away an errant tear forming at the corner of your eye. “I’m a little too tired to go into the heavy stuff right now. Basically, sexuality is who you want to pail, and race is a disputed categorization of groups of humans who look similar to each other and different from others.”

You could tell he was dying to ask you about why pailing was in its own category, but he let it go. “So humans r all rusties, right?”

“The hue is a little different, but yes. All red blood.” 

He scoffed. “We all gotta find our own ways to segregate within our species, it seemz. Humans n trolls got _dat_ in common at least. How do ya’ll be lookin different from each otha?”

“Lots of ways! The shape of our facial features, our hair, eye color, skin color, although these categories kind of have to work together to form a national identity, it’s not like all blue-eyed people live together — “ Fuck, explaining human culture was impossible. 

“Wutchu mean ‘skin'?” 

“I mean what I mean! Our skin color falls on a spectrum from light beige to dark brown. Wait, do you even know what beige is?” 

“Ye ye i do,” he impatiently replied, hyper focused once more. “But ur sayin there’s a division amongst yo kind.” His eyes gleamed, almost dangerously. “Sounds like sumthin to start wars over. Class disparity n all dat, maybe.”

“That’s … unfortunately true. There’s a lot of injustice about this sort of thing. Some of us think we’re better than others because of the color of our skin, and I can’t begin to tell you how horrible that is.”

“I bet.” He trailed a fingertip along the rim of his glass. “So, which one r u?” 

“Which one? What do you mean?”

“U know. R u the winner or loser.” 

You furrowed your brows. “Please don’t say it like that. We _all_ lose if we keep holding onto that mindset.” Marvus’s eyes widened at the tone of your voice. You folded your arms and curled in on yourself, unable to look at him. “To answer your question, I was the loser. Not because of what I look like, but because of the life I was born into.” 

Marvus was silent. Dolphin dad nudged his snout against his cheek and stood up to collect some plates, discretely ambling away. “Hey.” You reluctantly met his stare. It was warm and slightly chastised. “I’m srry, boo. Didn’t mean to upset u with all these questions.”

“It’s okay.” You mustered up a smile for him. “I don’t mind happier questions, you know.”

“Hmmmmm … ya’ll got good food? :o) “ 

You giggled, straightening in your seat. “I may be a little biased here, but we sure as hell do. Way better than these huge insects you’ve been shoveling into your mouth.” 

“Ey, u no how hard these suckas are to come by? Quality cuizzzine rite here baby.” 

“Mhm. Yet despite that, I can’t help but notice you left an entire bowl of salad untouched.”

He peevishly glanced at his uneaten portion. “Ye cuz dat shit is all kindsa nasty. I ain’t no moobeast."

“Well I’m trying to be, so if you’re not gonna finish that, then feel free to pass it over.” 

Marvus graciously obliged, handing over the salad with gusto. “Put sum meat on dat exoskeleton, baby. I like em _thicc_ ;o) “ 

You nearly choked on a forkful of lettuce. “Don’t give me that sultry look, mister. I’m starting to feel the soreness coming on.” 

“Y ain’tchu say nothin?” Marvus rose from his seat and stretched. “I’m kinda tired too tho, mebbe it’s time fo recuperacuddles :o) “ 

“That’s so _corny_ , Marvus,” you said with a titter, ignoring the vibration of your phone as you stood up to collect your dirty dishes. “Before you ask, yes I am helping your lusus clean — “ Marvus opened his mouth to retort. “ — and no, I will not listen to any objections.” 

He rolled his eyes as he paced over to you. “Suit yaself, guess i’m gunna have to wait for u in the coon all by my lonesome :o( “ 

“Distance makes the bloodpusher grow fonder,” you said, and titled your face up as he bent down to kiss you. 

“If dats true then ur so short that my pusher would probably explode,” he teased. 

You laughed, and before you could answer back, Marvus’s ringtone — his own track, you noted — blared to life. He groaned and slumped his shoulders, as though he knew exactly who was calling him before he even looked at the screen. “Sorry, bb. Gotta take this one.” 

“Go ahead,” you urged, getting to work on the cleanup as you listened to his distant _‘da fxxk u want man’_ the further he walked out of the kitchen area. 

You shuttled between the dinner table and the sink, setting the dishes beside the sink while Marvus’s lusus did the cleaning. 

“Has Marvus ever done a single chore in his life?” you asked with a light smile, to which dolphin dad trilled an exasperated squeak, looking up into the heavens as though saying, 'I could never get him to do anything helpful around the hive.' 

You helped scrape off the leftovers to pass the time, idly wondering if you should save this perfectly decent food for later. Or even leave it out for hungry lowbloods, although that may be insulting. 

Marvus returned in a short while, looking far more peeved off and tired than he had before the call. “Change of plans. Gotta stay up longer, so u go ahead n make urself comfy in the coon without me.” 

“Everything okay?”

“Yep, just my manager bustin my shame globez to wrk on sumthin. Shouldn’t b too long, i think.” 

“Alright.” You wrapped your arms around him. “Don’t stay up too late, got it?"

“Ehehe didn’t no i had _two_ managers,” he snickered, and kissed your forehead. “U got it boss babe.”

-

Marvus’s respiteblock was wonderfully peaceful, all aglow with the barest hint of blue hue as the sun prepared to creep up over the horizon. You plopped down onto the couch and entertained yourself with a little bit of social media before bedtime, secretly hoping that Marvus would still find you awake.

The amount of attention your photo of him garnered was staggering. You scrolled through some of the comments for a good laugh, entertained by the unparalleled thirst his fans had for him despite his messy appearance. It probably made him even more endearing, now that you thought about it.

Zebruh had texted you several times since the upload.

  
— Um, hello!!

— ♠ Why didn’t you tell me you were going to visit Marvus? ♠

— Come on, bring me with you next time. ◆ Pleeease? ◆

You sighed and typed back a half-assed apology, with very vague non-promises about not being able to guarantee the future. Can’t leave this indigo on read — you dreaded the consequences if you had done so.

Chixie’s text was a salve to your soul.

  
— you weren’t kidding about xoloto being an endearing slob / that’s a hilarious picture / i can’t imagine how much you got to eat  


  
— chixie darling i’m so full i’m about to die :o( 

You checked the rest of your messages, surprised to find one from Mallek.

 

— raking up that clout tonight; or should i say; clownt;

— wow that joke = bad; even by my standards;

— anyway; hit me up when you = free;

You giggled and promised to text him tomorrow. He was not getting out of answering your questions about the hoodie.

While you nibbled on your lower lip and stalked Tirona’s latest installment of propaganda memes, Chixie had responded.

 

— don’t die on me / we haven’t even gotten the chance to hang out one last time / you can die on me right after  


  
— i can practically feel you grinning through your texts, you scoundrel  


  
— hahaha / you got me 

— what are you doing at his hive anyway?  


  
— use your imagination  


  
— wow are you serious  


  
— once you go clown, you never go back  


  
— oh my gog / that’s pretty impressive / teach me your ways / because all i have is a pesky indigo fucker who refuses to leave me alone  


  
— if it makes you feel any better, he’s been blowing up my palmhusk about the picture :o(  


  
— i wouldn’t wish zebruh on anyone / that’s a tough spot you’re in  


  
— i KNOW 

— and get this

— marvus can’t say anything to him either so i can’t even get a clown to keep this dude away from me

— but it’s ok, i have my ways  


  
— that’s showbiz for you / i’d sympathize with xoloto too if he wasn’t a damn highblood  


  
— i keep telling you chix, you’d really like him if you got to know him!!

— marvus isn’t like all the rest  


  
— so you’ve said  


  
— one of these days, it’s gonna happen 

— i’m gonna get you two in the same room together and you’ll fall under the xoloto spell just like me  


  
— oh / to be young and blind / and irresponsible  


  
— irresponsible, she says 

— as she probably clutches a bottle of booze to her chest  


  
— maybe / maybe not / you’ll never know  


  
— will you at least meet cirava

— they have great weed that you can smoke out of a bug’s ass, i dunno if you’re into that  


  
— wow / sucking on a bug’s ass / sounds like my kind of fun / insert sarcasm here

— look at you / making all these plans / when you just said you felt like dying  


  
— i’m just responsible like that

— it would be rude to die without telling my friends 

— and i need backup plans in case my melodrama falls through  


  
— luckily for me / your melodrama always seems to fail / remember when you panicked about me meeting with some fan  


  
— i had a bad feeling about her and i still do, and i think we are lucky that something came up last minute 

— i dunno i always have these feelings

— like premonitions  


  
— here we go with the melodrama  


  
— i guess i’m just tired, sorry  


  
— don’t be sorry / i didn’t mean it in a bad way / don’t let me hold you up / sleep tight  


  
— thanks, i’ll let you know when I’m free soon!!  


  
— gotcha / can’t wait  


You fired off a quick ‘good morning’ to Tagora, shoved your palmhusk into your pocket, and glanced at the door. Still no Marvus.

By this point, you could barely keep your eyes open. You shimmied out of your clothing and carefully got into the recuperacoon, wading through the slime to settle into the darkest corner of the alien bed.

Your consciousness drifted and sunk into nothingness, and the last thought on your mind was that of purple, the blood and slurry alike painting you in the evidence of your lust — for survival, for _him_ , for whatever kept you living.

-

You open your eyes to blinding white. 

The uncomfortable sensation is heightened by whatever solid thing you are resting on. You sit up and blink away the pain. A dull throb lingers and refuses to abate, taking root at the back of your mind. 

You ignore it and blearily look around. You are in a room, your surroundings startlingly bare and so sterile _white_ , and you can barely tolerate it if not for the realization that strikes you and halts your panic. 

A small dresser. A worn-down table with a lone desk lamp hanging over some empty beer bottles. A mirror, cracked in one corner. A clock ticks above you. 

Old familiar things. Evidence of a life not worth living. Your panic resumes, and this time you feel like you want to crawl out of your skin. You have to leave.

You place a hand over your chest, heartbeat pulsating and breath quickening. Your fingers smooth over satiny fabric, and you look down in confusion. You are adorned in an elegant outfit befitting a fairytale noble. 

Purple. A new familiar color. One of mirth and brotherhood and sanctuary. The shade is slightly off, but close enough to stir up happy feelings. You smile and wrap your arms around yourself.

_I ain’t never given u no reason to think i’d hurt u —_

A spark of pain shoots through your head. You wince and clutch your head between your hands. 

Beside your bed is an open window through which a nonexistent breeze blows in, causing the moth-eaten, dusty curtains to sway and curl in the air. You watch their slow movement, unnerved and distrustful. What would you see if you looked outside? 

Your body moves automatically and without thought. You sidestep a billowing curtain and avoid its attempts to ensnare you, gripping the windowsill as the sound of blood rushing in your ears fills the void of silence around you.

An endless expanse of spires and rooftops stretches before you, painted in that same brilliant purple. You release a sigh you didn’t know you were holding.

Home. Safe. This is where you are meant to be. 

You want to go down there. Where there are houses, there are people, and you do not want to be alone in this horrible room. 

A hushed whisper breaks through the quietness, riding on the ends of a soft gust of wind. 

“What?” you ask. 

_Look up,_ the voice breathes out.

And you do. 

The sky is pitch black, unobstructed by clouds. Not a single star shines through, yet the longer you stare, the more your eyes play tricks on you. 

You wish you hadn’t looked. 

The darkness twists and bends. You watch, transfixed. Not even the temptation of exploration in this strange city could steal back your attention. 

A rumbling groan escapes the event horizon. The void pulsates, breathes, and moves. The curtains billow, weave, bend, dance, darken, transform, and change, wrapping around you and over your beautiful purple clothing. Something cold and tangible licks at your skin, not coarse, but smooth. Unfamiliar. 

The darkness touches you.

From this moment on, your gaze becomes averted from life.

-

Music flowing through you like rolling waves

The smell of something pungent yet enticing

  
at this rate youll be more popular than me

no one gave a shit about me as a person

im just a funny meme to them  


You are feeling nervous now

A critical glance

— ding ding ding — 

Replaced by unbridled anger, skin flushed gold and bared fangs

  
you havent even done anything  


No no no it wasn’t my fault I’m sorry I just want to be —

 _You just want to be what?_

_You don’t deserve friends._

_There is only one thing to do._

Running, flashes of neon blur the edge of your vision, framed faces smiling down at you in mockery 

Crisp air filling your lungs, it burns, your eyes burn 

Something blocks your path, white and circular and spiraling 

It beckons you, _there is only one thing to do._

Knees scrape along dirt and soft blades of grass

Your fingers wrap around cold metal, sharp and dangerous

Like a weapon

Bring it to your head and — 

-

You jolted awake, blearily blinking away phosphenes dancing in your vision. Something wet rolled down your cheeks. You wiped the trail of wetness — tears — on the back of your hand and fought hard to recall what had upset you so deeply.

Yet try as you might, the memory was simply untraceable. Your only hold tethering you to the dream was a phantom sensation at your temple, and even that was quickly fading away. 

What could you remember? There was a white room, and purple — why was that such a prominent memory in your mind? And a window, and suffocating fear, darkness — 

No, you didn’t want to think about it right now.

Better to forget. 

The respiteblock was dimly lit by rays of early morning sunlight penetrating the windows, filtered of all scorching power and falling harmlessly on your skin through the opening of the recuperacoon. You slowly retracted your arm from the thick sopor slime and held out your hand to marvel at how the light danced across your skin. When was the last time you were able to see yourself in the soft glow of harmless light? 

You sighed and bit back the wave of melancholy overtaking you. There were more important matters at hand, after all. Namely, the fact that Marvus apparently still had not joined you in the recuperacoon. The slime had a tinge of warmth to it, having sucked up your heat while you slept. If Marvus had been there, then he would have stolen it all for himself. 

_Don’t tell me he’s still working_ , you worriedly thought, slipping out of the recuperacoon and throwing on your clothes before making your way into the hallway. 

The hive was startlingly silent at this time of day, a stark contrast to how lively and defined everything appeared from the hazy light. It was strange — you were so used to this eerie atmosphere pervading the darkness, and yet now you have become so familiar with it, and so unnerved by the bright environment you once thrived in. 

Your ears perked up at the sound of muffled music. You followed the musical trail, creeping up to a doorway leading to the basement. You had never been there before — you prayed to the Messiahs with all your might that you were not about to discover some secret torture chamber. The door was unlocked, so you invited yourself in, padding down the staircase in search of your clown. 

Marvus had his back turned to you as he sat hunched over a table setup peppered with so many buttons, nobs, and dials that it made your head spin. His head was propped up on one hand as he nodded lightly to the rhythm blasting from the speakers and stared at a computer screen, hair pulled back into a fluffy ponytail. 

So he _was_ prone to overworking himself. Your heart swelled with pride and admiration while your mind was itching for a proper scolding. Why were clowns so relentlessly dedicated to their passions? Maybe that’s the reason why they were considered so powerful. 

The sound of your muted footsteps alerted him to your presence — a bit freaky, considering you were as quiet as a cheese critter amidst the loud music. Marvus glanced back at you with a welcoming smile, holing his hand out to you. 

“Hey, lil mama,” he rasped in a gravely voice, directing you into his lap once you came close enough. Damn, he sounded really hot right now. “Whachu doing being all up n awake at this hour?” 

“Bad dream,” you replied. “You coming to sleep anytime soon?”

He smirked tiredly. “Miss me dat much?” 

“Always.” You smoothed away errant strands of hair from his face and tucked them behind his ear. “Can’t all this wait till tomorrow? Or later today, I guess. It’s already light outside.” 

Marvus caught your hand and pressed a kiss to the inside of your wrist. “I’m almost done. Don’tchu b waitin up on me, ya hear?” 

You defiantly curled up against his chest. “No can do,” you said, nuzzling your face into his neck. “I’m already so comfy.”

Marvus chuckled and pulled you closer to him with a wiry arm wrapped around you. “Can’t say no to dat.“ He yawned suddenly, and it was as dramatic and obnoxious as you thought it would be, all open-mouthed and bared fangs as he stretched and ended with a drawn-out growl. “Sheeiiiiitttt, i’m gunna have trouble staying up w yo warm body all over me like dis.” 

You huffed a laugh against his neck as your fingers combed through his hair, careful to not dislodge it from his ponytail. He let out a drawn out sigh and slumped in his seat, leaning his head downward and into your touch. “I’m sure your manager would be a bit forgiving. You’re _the_ Marvus Xoloto, after all.” After a period of silence, you tilted your head back to look at him. His eyes were closed, and his face appeared to be devoid of any tension. You stroked the base of his horn. “Marv?” 

“Keep doin dat,” he breathed, pulling you closer. 

_Safe,_ you thought to yourself. _Despite everything, I still feel safe._


	14. Born to Die - Part 1.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hello lovelies, sorry for the delay! i was on vacation. i hope to have the next part up soon. thank you for reading! <3
> 
> **warning: graphic depictions of violence.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Walking through the city streets_  
>  Is it by mistake or design?  
> I feel so alone on a Friday night  
> Can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're mine?  
> — Lana Del Rey

Today was a self-care day, and whose hive better to plunder than Tagora’s? 

His lusus let you in while Tagora was busy at his main office, happy to be awarded with plenty of belly scratches for his effort. The little ferret wove his way around your legs as you went about preparing a bath for yourself, and an hour after aimlessly floating in floral scented bubbles and turning into a living prune, you toweled yourself off and thought long and hard about your next course of action.

Lately, Tagora kept two ablutionrobes hung up beside the trap. Both were a light shade of teal — naturally — and monogrammed with the letter of their respective owner. One was Tagora’s, and the other was not Galekhs, but _yours._ This was one of many small gestures that he adamantly claimed to be platonic. Sure, Tagora. 

You were in the mood to push his boundaries a bit. Your robe was left abandoned on its hook as you slipped his on, catching a good whiff of that interesting scent of expensive bathing products and lusus musk. It sat a little awkwardly on your shoulders — Tagora had a broader chest than you — but thankfully he was almost as short as you, so you didn’t need to worry about dragging the plush fabric all over his floor. 

Ten minutes into chuckbeast nuggets and chill on the sofa, a buzz from your palmhusk startled ferret dad out of his cozy slumber in your lap. The living noodle rearranged himself along your side while you lied down across the couch, balanced the plate of nuggets on your chest, and answered the call — Mallek, as agreed upon for tonight. His hologram surged into view, and his lazy smile greeted you, as it always did. 

“Hey, you.” 

“sup;” 

“We are convening here because I had a question for you.”

“hit me;" 

“What the hell is up with the hoodie you gave me?”

His composure was entirely unbroken. “gotta elaborate on that one buddy;”

“People keep pointing out the _sign._ Like it’s supposed to mean something, apparently.”

“well yeah it = my sign; i thought you knew that already; youve been on alternia how long;” 

“Mallek, don’t be deliberately obtuse.”

“a sign = just a sign;”

“Unless someone else is wearing it.”

Mallek was silent for a moment, an air of aloofness crossing his features. That cheshire grin remained, yet his eyes seemed to hone in on you with calculated regard. Trolls seemed to love to do that to you. “what = did you hear about that?”

“That it’s something done between lovers, or at the very least, extremely close friends. Care to explain why you’re letting me run around Outglut broadcasting a relationship status that neither of us is aware of?” 

“ouch gg; that hurts; arent we best buds;” 

“U — um, well, _yeah_ , of course I consider you to be one of my closest friends! I just didn’t … um, I didn’t know we were on _that_ level of friendship, I guess? Not that I’m not happy about this! I just wasn’t prepared for — a — about you being okay with, uh — “ Mallek’s grin was growing by the minute, as was your blush. “ — For fuck’s sake Mallek what sort of friendship is this?” 

“youre really cute when you get this flustered;” Tagora’s lusus stirred from slumber and popped his head out from the crook of your armpit, staring directly into Mallek’s hologram. 

You nearly choked on the nugget you were attempting to nibble on. “Okay, that right there? That statement? Just made this situation a million times more complicated.” 

“ … “ Another moment of deliberation. Mallek was so difficult to read sometimes. “if you wanna keep wearing it; then wear it; and if you dont; then dont; it = as simple as that; whether it means something or not depends on you;”

“I understand the close friend thing, but it seems to me that you’re saying you’d be okay if I wore your sign as a — like a quadrant thing?” Ferret dad emitted a light chitter and wriggled his way around your head, taking a front-row seat in this debacle. 

Mallek's cheeky grin faded into a half-smile, a hint of his fang digging into his bottom lip. He looked almost … vulnerable. But that couldn’t be it. _Don’t force yourself to see something that isn’t there._ “well uh — “

“See? You have to be more mindful of who you let wear your stuff so liberally! We’re not dating, you goof. Don’t give me a free pass just because I barely have any clothes of my own,” you finished with a laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. After all, you didn’t want to seem like you were chastising him. 

“ … yeah;” 

“Mal,” you said softly. “You know I’m ridiculously grateful for that hoodie, right? Do you know how much it meant to me that you let me keep it?” 

“it = not _that_ big of a deal;” 

“Yeah, it is! You found me in Tagora’s ablutionrobe that night, for messiah’s sakes.” 

“like the one youre wearing now;” he noted with a cocked eyebrow, seemingly making some sort of connection in his mind as his eyes flickered to the lusus currently grooming your unruly hair. “and also what the hell; messiahs; since when are you = a clown convert; unless that = a human expression;” 

“I … sort of believe in the purpleblood ideology now?” 

“are you ok; is someone holding a gun to your head to make you say that; is it the lusus;” Mallek angled his head to peer around you.

You giggled and shook your head. “Nah. But near-death experiences tend to make you rethink some things.” 

“whoa; what happened; are you hurt;” 

You waved off his concern. “All good. You know how I am, getting myself into weird situations all the time.” 

“like getting saved by a dashing elite hacker; right;” he teased.

“More like sorta kidnapped by a messy nerd,” you snarked back, lazily reaching back to pet ferret dad as he chuffed in laughter. A comfortable moment of silence ensued, and you felt your mood soften. “You really are a great friend, Mallek. I hope you know that.” 

“you too robobuddy;” he replied. “theres no better memester connoisseur out there who would appreciate the shit i send you;” 

“And don’t you forget it,” you said with a giggle, thoughts of Tirona fluttering through your mind. Sometimes, you wished you could throw all your friends into one room and see what sort of friendships would ensue. 

“anyway; lemme get back to work; i can see you = busy right now too;”

“Yeah, super productive and busy.” Tagora’s lusus swiped his tongue along your forehead as the smoothed stray hairs away. You snuggled further into your cozy self and relished the opportunity to smell like a ferret for the next upcoming few days. “I’ll see you later, Mallek. Have a good night.” 

“see ya; tell the lusus not to lick your thinkpan out too much; its already buggy with the clown nonsense;” 

_”Goodbye,_ Mallek.” You ended the call while he was in mid-chuckle and glanced at ferret dad. “You get me, don’t you?” 

A snout bump to your nose was your answer.

-

You were completely engrossed in a horrible dating show where a group of lowbloods vied for a sea dweller when the front door opened. Your numbed mental fugu instantly cleared at Tagora’s arrival, greeting him as soon as he came to the living room.

At first sight of you, Tagora’s neural resting bitch face softened for a split second. And when his eyes honed in on the cluckbeast nuggets, his pleasant smile froze and a dangerous expression crossed his features. 

“You are _not_ eating on my loungeplank right now.” 

His lusus tittered and scampered off to his extravagant hideout, leaving you to fend for yourself. “Um.” You carefully attempted to rest the plate on the coffee table, but Tagora’s sharp glare had you shooting up out of your spot to slink off to the kitchen. “I’m soooorry! Stop looking at me like that, I’m trying not to laugh.” 

“Dirtying up my hive is hardly funny,” he groused as he followed you.

“I was being careful!” You wrapped up the plate in a paper towel and hid your precious nuggets in the meat vault for later. 

Tagora rested his hip against the island table with folded arms. “You can keep eating,” he mumbled. “Just in the appropriate area.” 

You smiled peevishly at him. “It’s okay, I wasn’t really that hungry anymore.” 

He scoffed, and waved his hand over your body. “Is that my ablutionrobe? What happened to the one I got you?”

“Nothing, I was just in the mood to steal yours for today.” You gripped the fuzzy collar and burrowed further into the cozy fabric. “It smells like you.” 

He blushed lightly and sighed in mock exasperation, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “I know you like my shirts, but now you’re even stealing _this?”_

You hopped up onto a nearby stool and spun around slowly. “Yep, and I’m coming for your socks next. You can keep your vest though, it would make my boobs look weird.” 

“Right, because that’s the only weird thing about you.” 

“Weird?” You leaned to the side, balancing yourself by grabbing the edge of the stool and grinning cheekily. “Or _unique?_ Perhaps exotic, if you’re feeling condescending. Or avant garde — “

Tagora stepped between your legs and huffily fixed the robe before it could slip down one shoulder. “More like ridiculous,“ — He tugged the lapels together with slight force to cover your cleavage — “Shameless,” — You moved your hands out of the way as he tightened the sash around your waist — “And — and _distracting,”_ he finished, glowering at your impish smile. 

“Now that’s a strong word,” you snickered, amused at how charmingly he pouted and looked away. “What’s distracting about me?” 

“Don’t put me on the spot like that. I _just_ got back from work; give me a break.”

“But I _must_ know, considering how you always harp about my alien features.” 

Here comes the classic panicked Tagora expression — constricted pupils, hair standing on end, and biting his lip. “I — one can be distracted by hideous features as well."

“Your blush is kind of a giveaway.” You chuckled as he rubbed his cheeks in vain. “Am I looking particularly rainbow drinkerish tonight? Is it the lighting?” 

He turned around with a huff, ready to abscond to the living room, only to be accosted by his lusus. The ferret raised his haunches and bumped his head against Tagora’s shin with enough force to make him step back in your direction. “What’s gotten into you?” Tagora grumbled, earning a few chirps and a round of persistent head nudges until he backed up into you. 

“Wh — sorry — “ 

You wrapped your arms around Tagora’s waist before he could escape, giggling at his lusus’s antics while the ferret skittered away. “He’s got the right idea,” you teased. Tagora gripped your forearms, digging his nails a little too deeply into your skin. “It’s time for your daily dose of bonding exposure therapy!” 

You could feel him stop breathing. After the longest minute of your life, Tagora released his breath, wriggled around in your hold, and practically melted into you, hugging you with the deathgrip of a boa constrictor. You basked in this slightly uncomfortable embrace, because for all of his bitching and standoffishness, Tagora was ridiculously affectionate when he wanted to be. And with those moments so rare and far in between, you took whatever you were offered. 

While you listened to the ticking of a clock chime away — _this is home, not like that white room_ — a puff of breath tickled the hairs covering your forehead. It felt like … like — no way — 

“You just sniffed me.”

Tagora stiffened. “No I didn’t.”

You attempted to pull back to look at his lying face, but he kept you pressed against him. “You literally just sniffed me.” 

“I’m simply suffering from a bout of congestion, that’s all. Maybe I’m developing an allergy to you.”

“The only thing you are allergic to is being honest with yourself.” That earned you a soft laugh, to which you responded by smacking him on his ass. 

He gasped — high-pitched and dainty, just the way you like it — and glowered as he finally let you go. You watched him flit about like the busybody he was, falling into an easygoing conversation about his day. Apparently the courthouse was saddled with processing a slew of rebels who had been caught reprogramming drones to avoid contributing to the filial pails. 

“ — of all the nonsensical cases I’ve ever heard, this one certainly tops the list,” Tagora ranted, pulling out a tube of lotion from a nearby drawer and lathering up his hands while his dinner warmed up on a skillet. “Putting yourself in danger just because you’re squeamish about pailing, _hah,_ I don’t understand it.”

“Not everyone wants to be intimate in that way,” you explained, hopping out of your seat to stir the skillet while Tagora spread the lotion over his face. 

“We don’t have the luxury of doing whatever we want. You’d think these fools would suck it up and do their duty, but no, I guess death seems like a better option.” 

“Some _would_ feel that strongly about being forced to go against who they are.” 

“Then they’ll have to take their beliefs to the grave,” he said with an air of detached finality, and squirted another dollop of lotion onto his hand. “Come here, your skin looks dry.” 

You groaned and slumped against the counter, resigned to your fate as he moved your hair away and applied the lotion to your skin like a parent cleaning dirt from their rambunctious child’s face.

You wrinkled your nose and rubbed the slippery substance into your skin after he finished. “Ugh, Gor-Gor, your hands are so slimy. I think you used way too much lotion."

_”Too much lotion?_ What language is that, I’ve never heard of it.” 

“It’s the language of common sense.”

Tagora plated his food — mercifully devoid of bugs, it seemed — and settled down at the island table. “Oh, I think I might have heard of it … is it by any chance called dumb-bitch-inese?” 

You sat down beside him and grinned. “Thank you for your contribution to the swear jar! You’ve been slacking on that salary payment, mister.” 

“Forgive me for not enabling your pilfering.” 

“Apology accepted. And for your efforts, I would like to offer you a suggestion regarding your case against Remele.” 

Yes, your triumph card. You were finally ready to play this risky move and earn more kudos from both friends, assuming the plan worked.

Tagora paused his eating, dropping his fork onto the plate. “I’m listening,” he immediately replied, alert and curious. 

At the beginning of your partnership, Tagora usually did the thinking and you did the grunt work. But countless misdemeanor schemes later, he finally started listening to your moments of insightfulness, and you could not be more happier. It felt nice to be considered an equal when most people looked down on you. 

“Why don’t you let her buy you out?” you began, weaving your fingers together and resting your chin atop your clasped hands. 

“Go on.” 

“Let’s say if, hypothetically, she offers you a higher rate than your current client,” you explained. “And with that higher pay comes an agreement where you convince said client to drop all charges."

“What you are suggesting is highly illegal,” he lightly replied with a glint in his eye. “For both of us. And you, if you get caught as the middleman of this transaction.”

“If I were to get caught, then by human laws I would have to be extradited to face the wrath of our legal system, not yours.”

He threw you an incredulous look. “Now that sounds interesting and utterly hilarious.” 

“That’s how it works for us. If you are a native of one territory and commit a crime in another, then only the former can penalize you.”

“I’ll let the Condesce know posthaste,” he tittered. “We clearly need to make some amendments to our laws to accommodate this ludicrous plan and keep you safe.” 

“I’m serious, Tagora. I’ve already planted a seed in her thinkpan to consider it.”

His eyes widened. “How did you tell her? Word of squawk gaper or text?” Tagora asked, leaning closer to you. 

“Text — “

Before you could say anything else, you suddenly found your cheeks being squished between his hands, and Tagora’s face inches from yours. “You. Are. _Brilliant,”_ he exclaimed, and stood up to pace as he rapidly spoke, leaving you reeling from what just happened. “If she is serious about this and we go through with the plan, I come out richer and Namaaq goes free.” He looked at you then, his sharp, toothy smile threatening to split his face. “And if I _don’t_ accept this, we can use your messages to incriminate her with bribery charges, or blackmail her for whatever we want.” 

“Hell no!” you shrieked. "We are not scamming my friend!” 

His excitement dwindled a bit, grin falling to a flat line. “Why? Remember how she embarrassed you at her event with that hideous painting? This is a great way to get her back for it.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose. “I don’t know how to tell you that you should forgive and forget sometimes, and to not blow things out of proportion."

“For the record, Trident Media isn’t exactly poor. I am expecting to be paid far more than I ever have been once this case closes,” he said with a pleased expression, folding his arms. 

“Remele regularly sells ludicrously overpriced crap to clowns who have more money than common sense. You really think she’s not loaded?” 

“You have a point there.”

“Look. I know Trident Media didn’t really care about prosecuting Remele until you worked every angle to convince them to take this seriously. And I know it might feel like a low blow to turn your back on your efforts and come out looking like a sell-out. But Tagora — “ You grabbed his shoulders and fixed him with a serious stare. “Being a sell-out fucking _rocks.”_

He silently searched your face before deflating a little. “You’re really gunning for this.“

“Because I’m tired of getting in the middle of you two, and Remele is tired of her reputation getting tarnished. Her social media has been flooded with hate comments and basically none of this is looking good for her business. So let her buy you out. She might even be willing to bribe Trident Media itself to sweeten the deal, who knows.” 

You could tell Tagora was nearly ready to be convinced. But teals were nothing if not prideful in their skills, so as you had suspected, your last obstacle presented itself. “If I do this, then that would mean I couldn’t do it through hard work on my own. I refuse to lower myself like that.”

Your hands drifted down his arms and gripped his hands. “Gor-Gor, your definition of hard work is to bend the legal system to your advantage, not to be virtuous. See? You’re already rolling your eyes. Don’t grow a conscience on me now.” 

Tagora looked to the side — presumably to make that strange psychic link with his lusus — and then glanced back at you with scrutiny. You merely squeezed his hands reassuringly, adding a meek half-smile for good measure. He was always a sucker for that. “I’m never prepared for these moments when you manage to win me over with my own brand of logic.” 

“Who says that’s _your_ brand of logic?” you asked. “You’re looking at Alternia’s best smooth-talker and con artist.” 

He chuckled and lightly gripped your hips. “We make quite a pair, don’t we?” Immediately realizing what he just said, Tagora’s face lit up teal as he segwayed back into the topic at hand. It would have been a convincing performance, if not for him paradoxically pulling you closer to him. “Anyway. Um. Be discrete when you contact Namaaq. And keep it strictly through text, unless you have a recorder. I need all of this to go on record."

"You got it, boss.” 

“Good.” Tagora’s gaze drifted downward, and he slowly smoothed the lapel of the ablutionrobe. “I got you a robe for personal use.”

The way he had said that was so stern and contemplative that you were beginning to rethink this idea. “I can go switch — “

He silenced you with a finger to your lips. “You like this one in particular because it smells like me.”

You nodded.

“And you like the fabric.”

Another nod. 

“Alright then.” He moved his finger away and rubbed his chin as he abruptly walked off, murmuring something to himself while you watched his retreating form. 

What the hell just happened?

-

You had stepped out to wander around Outglut while Tagora finished work at his home office. Maybe it would have been better to shmooze him up and prime him to ask about the ablutionrobe, but you figured he needed some time alone.

His neighborhood was mostly populated by other teals and ceruleans, which meant relative safety and only the occasional dirty look. It was calming to stroll through a decent part of town without having to witness a murder. 

You froze mid-step. How far gone were you that you were _thankful_ for such a thing? How did crime become a daily occurrence as opposed to a rare mishap for you? 

Someone roughly bumped into your shoulder while you stood in the middle of the street like a telephone pole. “Watch where you’re going, dumbass,” they groused and flipped you off, and you were too startled to apologize before they were gone. 

Your breathing was beginning to quicken. What was it that Konyyl had taught you? 

Breathe deeply. Don’t focus on anything but trying to breathe. 

You moved out of foot traffic and leaned against the side of a building, closing your eyes and hiding your hands in the front pocket of your hoodie. It was Mallek’s. You were still using it, against your better judgement. Maybe you should ask Tagora to give you one with his sign. Maybe that would be too presumptuous. Maybe you were overthinking things again.

Breathe. 

Clear mind. Inhale. Scuttlebuggies zoomed along. Exhale. Locals chitter-chattered and went about their night. Inhale. Something delicious wafted through the air, like hotdogs. You wondered how Diemen was doing. Exhale. A solemn tune was playing in the distance. Inhale. Red fluorescent lights illuminated your eyelids. You remembered seeing the domineering billboard of Trizza across the street. Exhale. 

Your palmhusk buzzed. 

Your eyes flashed open and your heart skipped a beat in anticipation as you hurriedly took it out. Maybe Marvus had finally texted you! Sure, he was really busy with that event he had mentioned, but you haven’t heard from him in a few days and you were starting to get antsy — 

Nope. Just Stelsa, pestering you for another meet-up at her gym. 

Well, a distraction was a distraction. Your fingers only slightly trembled while you wrote back to her. Stuffing the palmhusk back into your pocket, you examined your surroundings to gather your bearings. The urban residential area had gradually morphed into a city district, similar to where Mallek lived, yet not quite as advanced. Trolls of all blood types could be seen from your vantage point. Looks like you had wandered into a hub of sorts. It certainly reflected in the architecture — buildings of towering heights overshadowed shorter, run-down apartment complexes, connected by walkways and an advanced rail system high above you. 

For all its chaotic assemblage, the city appeared to be running at optimal capacity. Automobile and pedestrian traffic was tightly regulated by both traffic lights and lowblood officers eager to use their whistles, jay-walking was met with swift fines — you noticed the highbloods were never reprimanded — and everybody seemed to know exactly where they were going, and what they were meant to be doing. 

_Society really is a well-oiled machine,_ you thought, admiring the hexagonal arrangement of apartment blocks. If not for the strange hybrid technology of organic matter and metal, you would have thought this was a modern city on Earth. 

You stayed near the building walls as you resumed your walk, careful to stay out of anyone’s way and keeping a low profile. Today was not the day for adventure or searching for new friends. Your mind craved nothing but blissful anonymity.

You decided to follow the sound of music, barely perceptible over the noise of scuttlebuggy honking and busy workers yelling into their palmhusks. You walked by a delicious bistro Galekh had once taken you and Tagora to, adamant that only their grubbread was worthy of anyone’s attention. And, of course, Tagora could not resist ribbing him for his pretentiousness. You giggled at the memory of them throwing a hissy fit right in the middle of the store as onlookers rolled their eyes and told them to get a room. 

The music grew clearer once you left the main street. Moments later, you spotted the source — a busker sitting on a crate, positioned at the corner of a building where barely any pedestrians passed by. They were practically hidden from view, obscured by shadows. 

_I’m not the only one who wants to go unnoticed,_ you thought with a smile, leaning against a closed storefront a few meters away to listen to them play. 

The busker’s face was hidden by a hood. For some reason, the more they tried to disappear from the public’s eye, the more you wanted to meet them. They stared down at their instrument, a heavy-looking accordion with nubby insect legs protruding from the corners. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like they wanted to draw attention only to their music, as though saying, _this is who I am, what I love, how I feel, this is me._

You pushed yourself away from the wall and slowly made your way closer to the busker. They paid you no mind, transfixed by the movement of their own fingers on the keys. On the ground before them was a bedraggled tin can, and if you had to take a guess, you would assume there was barely any money in there. You took out a few coins and leaned down to drop them into the can. 

When you moved to stand upright, you unwittingly made eye contact with the busker. 

Sharp eyes, the barest tinge of red coloring the irises. They widened imperceptibly as they regarded your alien features. You smiled in understanding and left them to their playing, feeling the weight of the busker’s stare at the nape of your neck. 

It could mean anything, really. Maybe this was their first time seeing an alien, or maybe they were dumbfounded by your kindness. Not that you regarded yourself as a saint for giving them a few measly coins, but on Alternia, who knows. Maybe your actions made all the difference.

You turned into a quiet street — if it could be called that. The road was sandwiched between two decrepit apartment complexes with shuttered windows. It was the perfect setup for a shady situation to unfold, but you could make out the familiar billboard of Trizza that you had seen earlier, which meant you would be able to find your way back to Tagora’s hive. 

You moved carefully through this alleyway to avoid alerting anyone to your presence. It was eerily quiet, and unnervingly dark with the moonlight being obscured by the buildings. You couldn’t even hear the music anymore. Your nerves were starting to get to you again. You walked a little faster, happy to see the sidewalk lights beginning to break through to chase away the darkness. 

Almost there. Just a couple more steps. Just a bit more — 

_You shouldn’t have chosen this path._

Your body was wretched backward, away from the light. 

Impact. Your head slammed against firm concrete with a sickening thud. You couldn’t breathe. You couldn’t scream. There was nothing but searing hot pain. 

Someone was holding you down, hand closed tightly over your mouth. You couldn’t move, couldn’t think straight. Your head was pulsing. 

Through the blurry haze of your vision, the flash of metal darted at your periphery. You felt something cold and sharp at your throat moments later. 

“Remember me, alien?"

They were waiting for an answer. _He_ was waiting. You tried to focus through the pain, tried to keep your head from spinning and for your eyes to stop wavering and — 

“Remember what you fucking _did_ to me?” 

You wanted to. Gods, how many people have you wronged? 

The knife at your throat dug in deep, and _sliced._

Oh. 

That hurt. 

That hurt that hurt that hurt oh gods please it hurts so much 

please 

_stop_

what 

why couldn’t 

you couldn’t feel them on you anymore oh gods i’m dying please save me 

_”Try again, human.”_

a new voice 

help me help I’m dying it hurts I’m bleeding 

home

i need to get

home to 

to tagora

i’m 

i can’t 

…

-

Shrouded in the shadows of an abandoned alleyway, a rustblood holds the neck of her kin in one hand, having already drained the life from his mortal body. She lets him fall to the ground, admires the corpse for a moment, and continues with her duty.

The edges of her uniform are stained with a shade of red she has not seen before. It is beautiful, she decides. 

The alien is still alive, their blood-stained hands gripping the gaping wound across their throat and clawing the ground as they writhe and sob in agony. _You are lucky,_ she thinks. She would give anything to feel the bliss of death. 

She stands beside the alien, looking down at the wretched thing. They try to speak, but all they manage is a bloody gurgle. 

“Not yet,” she says, voice laced with steely bite. “Try again. Try _harder.”_

The alien falls silent, stares up at her with the renewed clarity of a dying soul, and succumbs to the inevitability of paradox space.


	15. Born to Die - Part 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hello friends, thank you for your continued support!!! i bring u this. 
> 
> just an fyi, the person speaking at the end of the chapter is using roman numerals for "2"!

Today was a self-care day, you had said to yourself. It would have been rude not to extend the offer to your dear Gor-Gor. And it would have been even more foolish to forgo the opportunity to get him to unwind and willing to explain why he drilled you about wearing his ablutionrobe. 

Tagora was stationed in front of his vanity — wearing your robe, and stinking it up with the fragrance of his body wash — offering you a view of his close-eyed, peaceful expression as you stood behind him and did the unthinkable.

You were playing with his hair. 

Rather, you were being _allowed_ to do so. There wasn’t a single doubt in your mind that Tagora would bludgeon someone to death with his hairbrush if they even so much as insinuated getting near his hair without his permission. 

So far, the beast was tame. You had to force yourself to put on an air of casual ease, because when you panicked around Tagora, he tended to lash out from the stress, and you were not risking damaging his hair with your clumsiness. 

You hummed the tune of _The Girl From Ipanema_ while you worked. His hair had an interesting texture, slightly smoother than Marvus’s and wavy from lack of being saturated with hair products. You knew Tagora was a bit embarrassed by his natural hair, claiming it did not frame his face properly like Galekh’s curls did for his own. A part of you suspected it was because he was a freak about geometry and needed every aspect of himself laid down to perfection. Either way, it was endearing to see him shyly look away when you unfurled his freshly-washed hair from the confines of a towel. 

“I like brushing your hair,” you pipped up. "Sloooowly, like this.” You ran the brush through a portioned section, watching it glide through the thick tresses with ease. The knots had been detangled long ago. “It sounds like ocean waves on a shoreline.” 

Tagora moved his head ever so slightly, one half-lidded eye looking at you. “You’re weird.” 

You poked his cheek to get him to turn back around. The fact that he didn’t immediately throw a fit for touching his face spoke volumes about how relaxed he felt. “What’s weird about what I said? Haven’t you heard the ocean before?” 

“In videos, I guess,” he grumbled. “If you mean in real life, then no. I’m not insane enough to tread near sea dweller territory like you.”

“I’ve been to beaches plenty of times on Earth.”

He hummed and settled into zen-like silence, shoulders hunched forward and tension completely erased. Your fingers followed the brush with each run, smoothing down errant strands of hair and stroking his head. 

“Tell me about your planet,” he breathed out, low and warbly from sleepiness. 

“What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. Anything.”

You thought for a moment while you concentrated on your task. “We have an extremely popular franchise for soaps and stuff. It’s called Lush.”

“Uh huh. And is your social media platform called Twitter?”

“Actually, yeah.”

He chuckled. “Come _on."_

You smirked and rolled your eyes. “Okay, okay. Want to hear something scandalous?” 

“Mhm.”

You paused for dramatic effect, biting your lip to keep from laughing as you imagined Tagora’s reaction to what you were about to say. “We have professional cuddlers.”

The drugged-up expression on his face disappeared instantly. “What the hell is that?” 

You tapped the back of the brush lightly on his head. “Someone who gets paid to cuddle with people. It’s in the name, hun.”

“So a prostitute, then?” 

“I guess? We don’t really consider them that … not that we don’t have prostitutes, but those are more, uh, geared towards physical stuff. Pailing and whatnot.”

Tagora scoffed. “I fail to see the difference,” he said, then paused. “Actually, I sort of do. At least there’s no intimacy involved with pailing. But to let a stranger hold you and t — touch you like a moirail? That’s. _Ugh.”_ He actually shuddered. Your heart broke a little for these emotionally repressed idiots. 

You twirled the brush in your hand and placed a hand on your hip. “There’s a lot to unpack there. What do you mean there’s no intimacy in pailing?"

“I misspoke,” he said, crossing his legs and folding his hands on his knee like he was on a talkshow. "Of course there’s intimacy, but it’s different from what’s done between moirails. _That_ intimacy is on a whole new level.” 

“So you wouldn’t pay someone to brush your hair like this?”

“I’d rather claw my ganderbulbs out.” 

“But I’m on your payroll,” you pointed out. “Is this a normal bonding experience between business partners?” 

“Don’t … don’t use semantics against me,” he stuttered. “I can smell wordplay a mile away.” 

“Messiahs, Gor-Gor. Getting you to admit the truth is like trying to pull teeth."

“I’m worth the struggle,” he sassily replied, and beneath the infallible confidence, you wondered if this was his way of seeking out validation for his belief. 

You ran your fingers through his hair, not-so-accidentally grazing your nails along the nape of his neck on your way down. “Yes, you are.” His cocky grin melted into something far more genuine, soft and warm and so ridiculously cute. Now was the time to strike. “So, are you going to explain the ablutionrobe questionnaire from earlier?”

His shoulders stiffened. “I — I was … planning.” 

“But you already got me a robe, so what’s there to plan?” 

Tagora fell silent. You resumed brushing his hair to give him time to formulate his response, curiously noting the fierce blush blooming at the tips of his ears. Your eyes flitted to the mirror, and he bowed his head to move his bang over most of his face. When you tried to look at him over his shoulder, you caught a peak of teal on his cheek before he swiftly turned from your view. “Why can’t you just figure it out yourself?” he heatedly blurted out, and suddenly rose from his seat. 

You held the brush to your chest and followed his guidance as he forced you to sit down, obediently holding out the brush for him when his hand shot out demandingly for it. “I honestly don’t have a clue what you are planning,” you admitted, wincing when the bristles caught onto a knot.

He stopped the brush immediately and rubbed the sore spot in apology before resuming at a much gentler pace. “This looks like the workings of my lusus,” he muttered, detangling the mess into manageable sections. “Anyway, I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”

"Fair enough."

You closed your eyes and let him have at your messy fluff. He’s done it plenty of times before, but there was always an undercurrent of exasperation at your bedraggled appearance. This time, he effortlessly incorporated your technique as his fingers combed through the strands. He must have really liked it. 

Several times Tagora opened and closed his mouth to speak, scrunching his nose as though it pained him to say what he wanted to say. Finally, he forced out, “Not. _Everything._ Has to be on my terms. Just so you know.”

You furrowed your brows. “I’m not going to rush you into anything that you aren’t ready for.” 

“I’m not _fragile_ , I can handle a bit of push.” A pause. “You’re good at breaking me out of my boundaries.” 

“Are you saying that if I wait for you, you might never be ready?” 

“I’m saying I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, and I don’t know if I’m reading the signs right.” 

You balked at his admission, turning to look up at him in disbelief and wincing when the brush caught on another knot. _”You_ don’t know if _you’re_ reading the signs right? Tagora, we’ve papped each other. Gods, I don’t even want to know what level of insanity you and Galekh had to fight through to be where you are right now. Did you pail and think it was an accident or something?”

His stare screamed bemusement. “The development of my relationship with Galekh doesn’t matter. We are where we are.”

“That’s code for _’we are both the smartest Alternians and coincidentally happen to be the biggest buffoons as well, but only when we are around each other’_.” 

“We are getting sidetracked,” Tagora huffed, spun you around to face the vanity, and resumed his task. You grinned in victory and made sure he saw it. “I just want to know what’s going on between you and I. Where _we_ are headed. And. H-how you feel.” 

You were ready to throw in a joke about how hard this must be for him, but your conscience stopped you dead in your tracks. Of course this was hard for him. He looked like he wanted to fling himself out of the nearest window. 

So you reigned your sarcastic humor in and proceeded to word vomit. 

“Okay. I think you’re cute and funny and handsome, I think you make me a better person, I like the way you smile and laugh when you really mean it, and I like how you try to act like you don’t care, but everything you ever do shows that you really do care about me.” Tagora had long since stopped brushing, simply standing there and listening. You kept your eyes on some inconsequential trinkets cluttering the vanity top as you spoke, because you knew he was too shy for eye contact right now. “You’re weaselly, stuck up, and socially inept — “ He shuffled in place, brush lowered to his side. “ — but I’m also a self-serving bottom feeder when I want to be. And you never once judge me for it. Not many people understand me like you do. Not many people try to make me better, too. Only you.” 

You didn’t know what made you stop there, specifically. It just felt complete, like you had said everything you needed to say. Well, maybe not _everything_ , but the intent had been laid in stone. You looked down at your fiddling fingers as your heart raced with your thoughts. _I’m supposed to be the confident one here. Why am I so flustered all of a sudden?_

Either way, you couldn’t stare at your hands all night — time to face the music. You swiveled around and looked up at him, and you were nearly left breathless by how shy and vulnerable and defensive he appeared, and so unsure of what to do with himself. A million emotions colored his facial features as he struggled to work through his feelings. But before you could ease his tension, he pointed the brush at you and commanded, “S — say it.” 

“Say what?” you asked, before your brain could catch up to you and think _no way, no freaking way —_

“You _know_ what.” His voice cracked, and his hand wavered. 

Were you ready? 

As you gawked at Tagora like a deer caught in headlights, you resoundingly decided, hell yeah. 

You sat up straighter, sucked in a deep breath, and said it. 

“I love you.” 

And the silence that ensued was deafening, only to be broken by the sound of the brush falling out of Tagora’s hand and onto the floor. 

You waited patiently for his thinkpan to reboot. He was quite literally frozen in place, arm having fallen uselessly to his side. The only indication of life left remaining within him was the vibrant blush threatening to take over any gray color remaining on his face. 

“What.” Deadpan, flatly spoken. You had no idea what you were working with right here. Was he angry? Disgusted? Happy? He wasn’t spiraling into feral monologuing yet.

You tried again, a little unsure of yourself now. “I … love you?” 

Tagora flinched and reeled back, as though you shot him point blank into his chest. “That wasn’t wh — what I — I didn’t mean _that!”_ Oh no. Your insides felt like they were being rearranged. “You — _how can you just say that so easily?_ ” he yelled, arms wrapped around himself protectively. 

This was … going exactly how you expected. Your hands closed into fists in your lap, and you fought off the tense sensation tightening up your whole body. Fight or flight mode was in full effect for the both of you. But you were tired of running. 

“I can say it because I mean it,” you pressed on, ignoring the slight waiver in your voice. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. _I love you.”_

“I, uh … um — “ Tagora slowly inched away before seemingly coming to his senses, planting himself in place and standing awkwardly as his eyes darted around the room. 

“You look like you’re searching for a weapon in here.” 

“N — no, I … I … “ 

Rendered speechless. It was up to you to take control of the situation, as you always did. You rose from your seat, surprised by just how jittery you were feeling, like you were in the middle of an insane coffee rush. Tagora watched you approach with the intensity of a cornered animal that swallowed a teal glowstick. 

Tentatively taking hold of his hands, you unfurled them from their stoney, gargoylesque position and smiled. “What did you want me to say then?” 

He searched your face, all wide-eyed and bashful. “That we. Um. That you wanted us to be — “ He sucked in a deep breath, and finished quietly, “ … moirails …” 

The urge to kiss him came strong and unbidden, yet disappeared just as quickly as it came. 

_There was someone else, too._

“Are you asking me?” you said with a lilt, your smile turning into a grin. 

Tagora pouted, opened his mouth so as to bite back, yet stopped mid-word. Light banter always did manage to cheer him up. “Since you’re so dense, I might as well,” he flippantly replied, then grasped your hands tighter as he met your eyes intently. “Do you. Want to be my moirail.” 

And just like that, your adrenaline spike dissolved into an all-consuming sense of relief and weakness. You might have fallen flat on your ass if not for his touch keeping you tethered. “Yes, Gor-Gor. I want to be your moirail.” 

He breathed out deeply, and gone was the timidness and defensive posture, replaced by a wide, beaming smile that made your heart hammer wildly in your chest. It could have been either one of you who pulled the other into a smothering hug, but here you were, nuzzling your face into his neck as you felt his bloodpusher race and his chest vibrate with a droning purr against you. Your addled mind imagined his vocalization to be the sound of an electric fan. It was cute; you wish you had heard it sooner, because now you couldn’t imagine never hearing it again. _So much wasted time,_ you thought briefly.

It was ages before anyone spoke, much less dared to move an inch from this embrace. Several times you noted the intensity of his purring seemed to slow down and quickly pick back up, and you wondered whether that meant anything. You would ask him later, when your feelings had time to readjust. 

Tagora was the first to pull away, cupping your face as his nervousness reappeared. “I. You know that I … ah,” he cleared his throat. “I’m normally good with words, but. Uh. I … “ 

You lightly squeezed his forearms and shushed him. “I _do_ know. You don’t have to force yourself, Gor-Gor.” 

He sighed. “You always know just what to say.” 

“I wouldn’t have been a good moirail if I never learned to read the signs.” 

“That’s an odd choice of phrasing.” He narrowed his eyes, lowering his hands to rest on your shoulders. “Almost like you mean you have … practice.” 

“You wouldn’t be my first moirail,” you admitted, and he gripped your shoulders tightly in answer. 

_“Excuse me?_ Who was it? When did this happen and why did you never tell me?” 

“It was Polypa!” you cheerily replied, giggling at his dumbfounded expression. "Although she just kinda … assumed we were moirails without ever asking me, but, y’know … I don’t pass up these opportunities.” 

“Tegiri’s _slumbeast?”_ He scoffed. “Even you could do better than that.”

“Hey, Polypa is a very sweet and lovely lady when you get to know her. And either way, we’re not together anymore. Not that we officially ever were … ” you trailed off with a mumble, then perked up at Tagora’s leer. “You jealous, Gor-Gor?” 

His sour facade quickly morphed into outraged surprise. You loved calling him out on his bullshit, if only to see his little ponytail stand on end. “I have nothing to be jealous of, if you didn’t even know you were dating her! You’re completely inept with our social customs. I know that well by now. So it. It doesn’t matter. Polypa didn’t count."

“I guess now that I’m clearing the air, I should admit there were others.“

_“What the fuck?“_

“I kind of had some moments with Stelsa — “

“Stelsa?!“

“ — and then there was that time with Chixie, although we were a bit drunk and reeling from a Zebruh encounter so maybe the feelings were a little forced and desperate — “

Tagora smacked a hand over your mouth and tutted. “I’ve heard enough.” He grabbed your hand and began dragging you to the door. “We are going to forget all about your meaningless flings with garbage television streaming service — “

“ — and turn down the temperature?” 

“And _not_ do something so indecent, no.” He paused near the doorway, and you both stared down at his lusus, peeking his little white head around the corner before scampering off. Had he been watching your confession this whole time? 

You dug your heels into the floor and urged Tagora to stop. He looked back at you with a questioning arch of his brow. “I’m a colossal moron for bringing up the past _right_ after our mushy feelings jam. I’m sorry, Gor-Gor — “

He cut you off with a sharp laugh and pulled you in, wrapping an arm around your waist. “Do you really think I’m threatened by any of those fools?” he waspishly asked, and leaned in startlingly close. So close that his lips were mere inches away from yours. “You’re mine. Simple as that.” 

Oh, the possessive way in which he said that. You probably looked like a red glowstick yourself now. 

Tagora pulled back and eyed your frozen form with immense satisfaction. Before he could continue leading the way, you blurted out, “Does this mean we’re dating?”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Yes, obviously.” 

“And that makes you my boyfriend?”

“Yes, and it makes _you_ my perpetual thinkpan ache.” 

You giggled and hugged his arm as you resumed your walk. “And you wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

He joined in your laughter, quietly chuckling as he turned to press a kiss to your temple. “No, I certainly would not.”

-

The hive was remarkably sterile in sight and sound when everyone was asleep. You set your palmhusk aside on the coffee table after checking one last time for any texts from Marvus, and huddled into your fluffy blanket, resting your head on a pillow and chasing away any hint of disappointment. Today was one of the best days of your life. You had a _boyfriend_.

You were on the cusp of falling into a dream when a loud buzz slapped you into consciousness. Ugh, people sure had excellent timing. Tagora’s ferret jolted awake and scooched over to peer down at you from his tall home. You blearily felt around for the palmhusk and whispered an apology to him, rubbing your eyes from the sharp light of your phone as you checked your messages.

  
— Greetings, cullbait.  


  
— who dis

— So you are illiterate, excellent. 

— It’s Lanque.  


  
— oh hell no

— what the fuck do you want?? how did you get my number? 

— you know what i dont care, just delete it to spare yourself the mental pain of getting blocked

— i know how much that would damage your ego and i’m feeling merciful right now  


  
— Hahaha. I’Ve barely said a Word to you and you are already throWing a fit. Your pettiness neVer ceases to amaze.  


  
— fuck outta here i’m not the petty one!!  


  
— I neVer said I Wasn’t.  


  
— i dont appreciate you texting me at this hour

— not only are you rude right off the bat, but you’re also an inconsiderate asshole  


  
— What are you, a Wiggler? It’s not eVen nearing daWn.  


  
— ok whatever, why are you contacting me  


  
— I Want my damn handkerchief back.  


  
— lmaaaooooooo

— now that i know you want it, i’m definitely keeping it 

— so no  


  
— You are such a fucking thorn in my side. Why not just do What I ask and be done With it, so I neVer haVe to contact you again. Because belieVe me, I’m already longing for that to happen.  


  
— i’m supposed to believe you don’t have a stash of more handkerchiefs? YOU did me dirty and i won our fight fair and square, so i’m keeping the spoils of war  


  
— I didn’t knoW you Would miss me that much that you felt the need to keep a memento of our last tryst.  


  
— you fuckin wish bucko

— i’m using your handkerchief as a slurry rag next time 

— and if you message me again then you best believe i will accost you with photographic evidence  


  
— WoW, this is moVing along quicker than expected. You could buy me dinner first at least, you thoughtless cretin.  


  
— what the fuck are you talking about 

— thats not

— i didnt mean MY SLURRY UGHHH 

— i dont make slurry you asshat!!!!!  


  
— I remember.  


  
— no 

— fuck you dont say it so smugly  


  
— HoW can I be smug through text? 

— I am not the least bit cocky about hoW I made you Whimper for me.  


  
— you know what we’re not doing right now?

— this

— it’s stopping right now 

— begone, i’m going to sleep and entertaining this no further  


  
— Enjoy the handkerchief. 

— It’ll be me you think about When you decide to use it, no matter hoW hard you Will try to conVince yourself otherWise.  


  
— do you ever pull a muscle from all that reaching you do  


  
— I thought you Were going to sleep.  


  
— not if it means letting you have the last word  


  
— Then you are about to quickly find out that I alWays haVe the last Word, darling.  


  
— that just further proves how much you care  


  
— As if you Weren’t just trying to do the exact same thing. It’s time to get off your high skyhorse.  


  
— holy shit i dont care goodbye  


  
— Not going to block me?  


  
— hey lanque

— wanna see a magic trick  


  
— No.  


[MC] blocked [LB]

[MC] unblocked [LB]

  
— bitch  


[MC] blocked [LB]

-

A lone busker played into the early morning, finding solace and familiarity in the music composed for him by someone he once held so dear. The weight of the instrument on his knees kept him grounded. It was a necessary tether. Otherwise, the pent up rage within him would escape, and he would lash out at the sea dweller currently standing before him.

And he was not ready to lose his life just yet.

“You appear II be in sore need of purpose,” the sea dweller drawled. 

The busker stayed quiet, head bent at a respectful angle and eyes staring fixedly at the ground. _I have a purpose,_ he thought to himself. One goal to complete. One final mission. 

His hands gripped the handles of his instrument. Tether. Relax. 

The sea dweller waited for a response. Having been given none, they smiled lightly and held out a hand. Their tailored cuff rose slightly upward, revealing a polished golden watch. “Allow me II extend the offer of employment.” 

He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. There was no telling what harm would come to him under the authority of a sea dweller. And worst of all, he might never find the chance to find who he was searching for. 

But what choice did he have? 

“I am waiting, lowblood. I do not like II be kept waiting.” 

His nails dug into the instrument’s handles. _You are not the only one who is waiting for me._

Oh, but of course a memory would surface. _The Messiahs always set things into motion, little red. You gotta have faith in their plans. They brought us together, ya know?_

He thought it was complete bullshit at the time. But now — 

Now, he had nothing left to lose. 

The sea dweller smiled pleasantly as the busker returned the handshake, solid and firm. 

_Let’s see where your Messiahs will lead me, baby. Or do they only guide the faithful?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tagora remembers that he never picked up the brush that he dropped, and runs back at the speed of light to correct his grievous error.


	16. The Moon Song.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so once again, i have to split my chapters up because i wrote too damn much afkjghaj i am 95% sure lanque will appear in the next chapter! also i am running out of lana songs that fit some of my chapters so I'm making detours to other artists ehehe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I'm lying on the moon_  
>  My dear, I'll be there soon  
> It's a quiet and starry place  
> Time's we're swallowed up  
> In space we're here a million miles away  
> \- Karen O 

You loved listening to the rain. 

Who didn’t, right? There was something so instinctual and relaxing about it. And as much as you reviled the acid rain on Alternia, your human brain dove headfirst into catharsis when the pitter pattering began. 

Thank goodness you had spent some time fortifying your home. Vikare had been kind enough to help you hammer in the metal panels Charun found for you in the nearby garbage dump to cover up exposed walls. It was not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but it served its purpose well. You were even gifted a tarp by Amisia — stained with blood that you could not wash out — and you used it as a makeshift curtain for the doorway leading to your balcony. Which was a fancy way of saying you had a bunch of floorboards extending from a large hole in the wall that made for a nice platform to relax on when you felt like stargazing. 

The abandoned machinery scattered around was defunct, caked in dust and displaying exposed wires. You wouldn’t have been able to hold out for much longer at the watchtower without electricity — you weren’t an animal, you needed to shower and charge your palmhusk — and once again, Charun had come through with their excellent survival skills. You expected them to be the best handyperson around, considering they somehow established a fully functioning hive in a cave. 

Your home was riddled with mementos of your friendships. It was heartwarming to be surrounded by so much support and to have a constant reminder of how far you have gotten on this hellish planet. And now, with the watchtower brought to life, not even the rain could get to you. 

Yes, you loved listening to the rain. You loved listening to the way the walls shuttered and groaned from the wind, the thunder roaring and booming, and the raindrops beating loudly against the panels. It was as if the very elements of Alternia were trying their best to destroy you, and failing miserably at it. 

You sat curled up in a cocoon of blankets and pillows beside the balcony doorway, having moved the curtain just a crack so you could peer out into the gloomy landscape. It was surprisingly chilly tonight; the thick storm clouds must be cooling down the temperature. Your hands cradled a mug filled with cappuccino, prepared by the infamous coffee maker gifted to you by Tagora.

You snickered to yourself. The machine was the only thing you had from Tagora in here, and that was because he did not know how crappy your living conditions were. You didn’t really have the heart to tell him, especially because he would never let you stay here again. And you quite liked it here, honestly. It was like a shitty treehouse that you had always wanted as a child. 

The steam from the coffee rose in wispy waves, illuminated by the cozy ambiance emanating throughout the room. The lights were kept off to avoid any unnecessary attention from the outside; you were more than happy with the candles arranged beside you. You browsed the endless entertainment offered to you by your palmhusk, as you always did. Maybe it would do you good to educate yourself at the library where you met Wanshi for the first time, but you weren’t too keen on being kicked out or suffer through blatant censorship and propaganda obfuscating every text. 

Although … you really were bored out of your mind. Sometimes you craved more than friendship and clout. Sometimes … sometimes you wanted to _know_ things. 

_I’m sure Galekh wouldn’t mind lending me some books,_ you thought, and a wave of loneliness struck you. 

You really missed that indigo. Time to pester.

  
— hello mr. xigisi  


  
— Hello.

— Is there a particular reason why we have regressed to a last name basis?  


  
— yes

— the reason is

— that i haven’t seen you in a while so it’s time to hang out with ya fave alien buddy soon cuz i miss you!!  


  
— Ah, I see.

— Your message is quite opportune, actually. I have been meaning to speak with you regarding a delicate subject that I wish to discuss with you in person [1]. When will you be available? [2]

— 1. It has been driving me particularly insane lately.  
— 2. If you are interested in helping me, of course.   


  
— sure!! i don’t exactly do much with my life these days so just say the word and i’ll be there  


  
— Are you free right now?  


  
— i am, but it’s raining 

— i don’t know if i’ve ever told you this but i literally burn alive from this acid rain  


  
— That is fascinating and terrifying to hear [1]. Trolls do not have such an aversive reaction to our rain. Do you exhibit a similar reaction on your home planet? If so, that would be highly evolutionary disadvantageous [2]. Your delicate physique and overall weakness is disconcerting and I will have to discuss this with Gorjek [3]. 

— 1. Alien biology screws with me once again.  
— 2. Like everything else about your odd features.  
— 3. I am sure he can relate.   


  
— galekh holy shit lol

— just come over to my place if you’d like

— and no the rain on earth is very soothing and nice   


  
— Please send me your coordinates.   


  
— kay!   


  
— … 

— Goregle says you are at a classified location?   


  
— yeah it’s an abandoned watchtower right on a cliff, can’t miss it  


  
— That sounds very dangerous. Does Gorjek know about this?  


  
— dont snitch on me pls i’m not ready to face his bitching   


  
— Are you sure you don’t want me to figure out some way to get you out of there and stay at a safer location?   


  
— are u sure u don’t wanna be a badass and scale a cliff to come meet an alien 

— and also peruse the various ancient technologies left by the condesce   


  
— Well, when you put it that way [1]. I will be there shortly. Thank you for indulging me [2].

— 1. Fuck yes.   
— 2. I missed you, too.   


  
— yaaaayyyyy see you soon!! 

— oh by the way can you bring me a book  


  
— Absolutely. What genre are you looking for? I have any and all to offer, as you might know [1]. 

— 1. I’m an archivist, after all.   


  
— can i pls get something horror and mystery-related 

— i know u got a stash of that good stuff ;o)   


  
— Certainly.   


  
— thanks!! get here safely   


  
— Thank you.   


That worked out far better than you had imagined! You felt so damn excited to have a friend over on such a boring day.

But.

There was one other person who you still sorely missed, and you were feeling that emptiness a hell of a lot more today. 

Marvus still hadn’t reached out to you. The most you had heard from him was when he posted a selfie on his Chittr while at the highblood event. 

As you reminisced on your last day together before he had left, you suddenly realized your thumb was hovering over his number. Should you do it? What if he was in the middle of something? What if he wasn’t really in the mood to talk, and that’s why he wasn’t messaging you?

Well. Only one way to find out. 

By the fifth ring, you were starting to feel really ridiculous. At what point did you forget that Marvus was cream-of-the-crop famous? And here you were, daring to think he could offer you the time of day. You truly were a special kind of stupid. 

But chance had a funny way of working. Just when you were ready to cancel the call, Marvus’s easygoing grin greeted you in all of its hologram glory. He was laying on his front with his arms folded under his chin, looking a tiny bit out of breath and hair fanned out in luxurious curls. 

“Eeeeyyyy lil mama!” he cheerily greeted, and you caught on to the rasp of tiredness. “Long time no talk lol how u been?” 

“I — ah — “ You cleared your throat to dispel any lingering sense of shyness. “I’ve been good! What about you? I’m guessing since I haven’t heard anything by now, the sea dwellers must be behaving themselves,” you said with a laugh, then mentally chastised yourself. _Why did I bring up the fact that he hasn’t called ugh I’m such an idiot —_

Marvus chuckled, oblivious to the war raging on inside your mind. “Sry bud shit’s just been too bizzy to even breathe, u caught me at a good time rn cuz we’re in btwn getting reddy for a meet-n-greet later.”

“Oh, if you’re busy then I can — w-we can talk another time!”

“Bruh wat i juss say, i says now is good,” he teased and stuck out his tongue. 

You smiled meekly. “Okay.”

“Lemme getcho opinion on my rags, b.” Marvus angled his palmhusk higher over himself, giving you a lovely view of his stretched out figure. “Been diggin thru my wardrobe for like half an hour trying to cook up sumthin swaggy.” 

You scrutinized his choices intensely — from what you could make out, he was sporting a vibrant purple crop top with a jacket covered in so many garish neon prints that it made your eyes hurt. But the true pièce de résistance was the holographic bellbottom pants. “It’s fucking beautiful,” you gushed. “That jacket is like _wham_ and those pants are like _kapow_ , your fans won’t know what hit them!” As you looked over the outfit in awe, you spotted a hint of pink in his hair. Something that gleamed in the light. Was that … ? “Marvy, is that a hair curler still stuck in your mane?” 

“Uh wat — “ He quickly felt around for the pink plastic and threw it out of sight. “Ehehe ty babez, and yeah u no i had to do it to em with this ensemble,” Marvus said with a grin, settling the palmhusk in front of him again. Gods, you missed that toothy smile. He was kicking his feet up behind him like some kind of schoolgirl. Ugh, it was all too cute. 

“Mhm. And also, why does it look like a hurricane rolled through your room? Your couch is something to behold right now."

“Ain’t got time to b cleanin when i cud b talking to my number uno cutie ;o) “ 

“There’s that slick talk I’ve been missing,” you snarked, yet your heart was ready to claw itself out of your chest. “Designer outfit on and surrounded by dirty towels and underwear. That’s iconic.” 

“U no it babe, dats the gucci lyfe 24/7 lmao :o) “ He moved his arm to rest his chin on his hand, tilting his head quizzically. “So where u at? All hidden in da dark w sum light framing yo pretty face. Lookin like sum kinda angel over there ;o) "

You giggled. “I’m just relaxing at home, enjoying the rain and all that. Got my coffee right here,” You lifted your mug. “And my friend is coming over soon. As you can see, I don’t have much excitement going on these days.”

“O forreal? The adventuring and shenanigans b over? I gotta see it to believe it.” 

“That’s because I got a rock tying me down and keeping me from risking my life all the time now,” you said, smiling fondly to yourself. “I have a moirail.” 

Marvus’s eyes widened, and for a split second, you couldn’t understand the expressions that crossed his features. But before you could pinpoint it, he quickly fell back on his classic wide grin. “Yooooo dats aces!!! Congrats babe, tell me all about em.” 

“Thank you,” you shyly replied. "He’s a legislacerator — “

“Odayum a teal, makes a helluva lotta sense for u lmao!”

“I know, right?” You laughed. “Sometimes I wonder why he puts up with me. I’m sure I give him more work and stress than he needs.” 

“Ain’t dat the joy o moirailship? Besides, i no deez guys luv a good challenge. My manager is a testament to that,” he groused, then sighed. “Anyway, i’m rly rly happy for u, bud. Hopefully he’s gunna school u on making better decisions so u ain’t get yourself into danger anymore.”

“But Marvus,” you slyly began. “If it hadn’t been for my penchant for getting stuck in dumb situations, you and I would have never met!” 

He hummed a low laugh, silent for a moment. “Ain’t dat da truth,” he lightly said. 

“Why’d you say it like that?”

“Like wat?”

“Like all mysterious and stuff. What’s on your mind?” 

He pursed his lips and cocked a brow. Maybe you were too forward. “Damn cuz u too quick w those call-outs,” he teased. “I wuz just thinking abt how you’re lookin danger rite into its eyes.”

“You’re not … “ You paused and scratched an itch on your throat. “You said you wouldn’t hurt me. I don’t think you’re dangerous to me, Marvy.” _Not to me. To others._

“And i stand by that, but my fans b all types of beastin sometimes. U ain’t gonna believe wat happened like two days ago.”

“What?” You sat up straighter and frowned in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Lolol ye of course. We had to find a replacement fo one o my bodyguards cuz homie died on me during a show, and guess who these dumb muthafuxxas replaced her with?” He shook his head as he recalled the memory. “Someone ain’t do a good background check and allowed a nutty azz fan into the loop pretendin to b qualified. Cornered my unsuspecting self after a show w a gaddamn _bucket_ lmao shit was so wild.”

“That’s fucking _awful!”_ You shrieked, setting down your mug before you spilled your coffee in outrage. “Holy shit, what a horrible oversight! Are you sure you’re okay? They didn’t do anything to you, did they?”

Marvus laughed boyishly and stretched out like a cat, grinning as though he didn't just told you he had been sexually harassed. “I popped their dumb fuxxin nugbone off,” he drawled. “Didn’t wanna ruin my spiffy number w their blood cuz dat shit was one of my fave shirts but sometimes u gotta let that clown rage out, ya feel me?” 

“Y — yeah,” you replied, slightly guilty at how uneasy you felt by the casual murder talk. But who the hell knew what that fan was capable of? As far as you were concerned, that piece of crap got what was coming to them. Renewed by your faith in Marvus, you firmly repeated, _“Yeah._ You have to protect yourself."

“Ahaha that’s the motto of Alternia, straight facts. But u get where i’m going w it?” His grin dimmed a little. “I’m a black hole for dizasta, so u best listen to dat moirail of yours and keep things on the D.L.” 

You pouted and crossed your arms. “Isn’t everyone a walking target around here? This sort of stuff can’t always be under our control.”

“Na b see that’s where you’re wrong, why u think i got all deez guards n cameras fixed on me? I stay fuxxin up chumps who step outta line n wanna try me.”

“But what about the Messiahs? What if they _want_ certain things to happen. You can’t really control _that.”_

Marvus frowned, silent and contemplative. “Well thats sumthin totally different,” he finally said. Judging by his uneasy expression, he must have thought about this before. “Da duality of free will n the Messiah’s plans for u is a complicated subject. The best we can do is live life the way we been instrukkted, cuz whatever happens to us is basically their will guiding us. What we got is tha power to either do wat we been taught or follow our own judgment. For a clown, we all end up in da same place — the Dark Carnival. Errythang leading up to dat is … well, who really knows?” 

“Sounds like you’re not really too sure.” 

“All i’m sure of is i gotta keep myself safe, keep on entertainin my peeps, n keep making good music,” Marvus replied, and huffed a soft laugh. “Dang, we got fifty shades of deep w all this talk.” 

You snickered. “We tend to do that a lot, don’t we?”

“Let’s brighten up the mood a lil, i still ain’t herrd too much about dis teal. How’d u meet?”

Oh boy. Time to reminisce on some very hard days. “It happened not too long after I landed on Alternia, actually,” you wistfully said, glancing past the crack of the curtain to look at the darkened hills outside. “I got hit by a scuttlebuggy and landed in a bush. Tagora came out of nowhere and immediately offered his services.” You smirked ruefully at the memory. “He was actually planning to scam me out of all my money. Joke was on him though — I was broke as hell.”

“Lmaoooo he’s one of _those_ homies, ay? Stone cold azzhole with srs game.” 

“Yep. But he wasn’t prepared to meet a bigger liar than him,” you proudly stated. “Beat him at his own game _and_ helped him hook up with his kismesis — “ You checked your clock. “Who’s actually supposed to come by any minute now.”

“Dang, u tight w him too?” 

“You know it!”

“Shiiiizzz, i didn’t no u were such a baller in the friendship field. My lil mamacita b doing good for herself w/o me there hehe :o) “

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Feels kind of boring without a clown buried between my legs.” 

The corner of his mouth quirked up as he flashed his teeth. There was simply no throwing Marvus off his groove. “Sounds like a real problem, babe. Ain’t got no one to help out w that?”

“I do — “ His brow furrowed imperceptibly. “ — but he’s a looong way away from here. I’ve been waiting so patiently, you know?” 

“Hmmm sumthin tells me that if u wait for a lil bit longer then u mite b rewarded ;o) “

You sighed dramatically. “I’ll try my best … “ 

“Good girl,” Marvus cooed, ready to say something else before a loud knocking on his end of the line cut him off. “Welp, that’s my cue to skiddadle on outta here. Sry lil lady, gotta cut it short.” 

“I hope your meet-and-greet goes well,” you said, and smiled shyly at him. "Can’t wait to see you again.” 

“Me too, babe.” He blew you a kiss and winked. “Don’t go lookin for a clown juss yet, ya herd?”

“I hear you,” you replied with a laugh, and offered one last wave before his hologram blinked out of existence.

You wrapped your blanket tighter around you and buried your face in your knees, hiding your dumb lovestruck grin from the world.

-

Galekh was a sight for sore eyes, balancing a ridiculous amount of books in one arm as he pressed a button on his umbrella to snap it closed. You would offer a hug if not for the ungodly fear of coming into contact with any errant droplets still on him.

“I should have known you would be too enthusiastic to bring me just _one_ book like I asked,” you tittered, ushering him inside and flicking on the living room light. Having a highblood at home meant you could forego some safety precautions.

“I couldn’t make up my mind, so I brought all the classics,” he studiously replied, placing them onto a short, shabby file cabinet you used as a foyer table, and setting his umbrella to lean against it. “One book is not enough to pass the time.” 

“Thank you, Galekh.” 

“You’re welcome.” Once he toed off his shoes and fixed his frizzy hair, he set his sights on your humble abode, eyeing each and every inch with unrestrained curiosity. “This looks … better than I imagined, yet worse than what you should be living in.”

You waved nonchalantly. “This is standard stuff for me, don’t worry. I feel right at home here. Anyway,” you continued quickly, because you could tell he was about to delve into a subject you were not keen on talking about. “Hey, you’re not gonna get in trouble for Goregling this place, right?”

He froze, then quickly recovered his cool and readjusted his glasses. “Even if I raised some alarm bells, I am high enough on the hemospectrum that this shouldn’t be an issue. I also have no criminal record, so no, I don’t think I will be in trouble.” 

“If you say so! What did you want to talk about?” 

Galekh followed you towards a table by a row of machinery propped up against the wall adjacent to your meager kitchen. It had once been covered in dust, debris, and unintelligible documents that Tyzias whisked away long ago. With Marsti’s unparalleled dedication to cleanliness, not a speck of dirt remained. 

Once he made himself comfortable — which is to say, sitting ramrod straight and daring not to move a muscle out of place lest he appeared rude — he finally admitted, “It’s about Tagora. I received a correspondence from his workplace regarding a subpoena, and he’s been refusing my calls." Then he mumbled under his breath in afterthought, “That bastard loves being obtuse."

“Sounds like something that needs to be discussed over coffee.”

He perked up. “Are you offering?”

“I am indeed,” you said, padding over to the coffee maker standing proudly at your kitchen counter. “Anyway, do you have the subpoena on you? Maybe I could figure out the Gorjek-speech and make sense of what he wants from you.” 

You heard a rustling from behind you; Galekh produced the papers on demand, smoothing them out on the table. “He usually just messages me if he wants to pester me. I haven’t received a letter from his actual legal firm before.” Again he mumbled, “He’s up to something ridiculous, I can feel it.” 

Gods, how did Galekh manage to bring his typing quirk to life? “And you can’t reach him to ask what this is about?” You set a mug under the machine and let the coffee run free. 

“That is perhaps the most aggravating thing about this whole situation — I normally have no issue chasing him down for answers — but this time, he’s being unbearable. I’m starting to wonder if this is more than a failed pitch flirting attempt.” 

“I’m sure it’s nothing serious, Tagora’s just … Tagora.”

“Even so, I still wanted your input on the matter. You know him best.” 

“Youuu bet!” you said in a sing-song voice, switching the machine off. “Do you like anything with your coffee?” 

“No, thanks.” 

Of course the coffee snob dares not add sweeteners. You made your way over to Galekh and handed over the goods before sitting across from him. The look on his face after the first sip was legendary. He peered into the mug as though it burned his whole hive down, puckering his lips in distaste. “This is … “

“Not to your standards?” Galekh remained tightlipped. You chuckled at his politeness. “I got it from Tagora.” 

He blinked at you, momentarily stupefied, and instead of the flustered rage you expected, Galekh looked down once more at the offending coffee with a warm smile. “Of course he did,” he fondly said. 

You couldn’t help smiling along with him. “All roads lead back to you two pissing each other off, huh?” 

“Seems so.” He narrowed his eyes at you. "And you are always somehow the moderator.” 

“What are friends for?” You held your hand out. “Let me have a look at the subpoena.” 

Galekh wordlessly slid the papers over to you. You scanned through the legal jargon — _**YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED** to appear at the bla bla bla before The Honorable Legislacerator Tagora Gorjek bla bla bla you must bring the following objects _ — and felt your sanity slip away once you finished reading.

“Gal, he wants you to bring a Tekilla.”

“Yes, among other things. Did you see where he explicitly specified I had to wear my tie? What does he need my tie for?”

You staunchly ignored _that_ line of inquiry. “You … _do_ know what a Tekilla is, right?”

“No, I didn’t bother looking it up.” You cocked a brow. “My need to obtain knowledge is outweighed by my annoyance at having to go out of my way to understand what Gorjek wants from me.”

“And I can also assume you don’t drink?”

“What? Of course I drink, you just saw me drink coffee right now. I see his obtuseness is rubbing off on you — “

_”Alcohol,_ Galekh.” 

“Oh. No.” 

You slapped your hands over your face, sighed the biggest sigh in all of existence, and reached for your palmhusk. Galekh shot out of his seat the instant he caught on to you dialing up Tagora. “Now wait just a moment, I wasn’t ready — “ 

Too late. He had just barely made it behind you — blocking most of your kitchen in the backdrop, much to your luck — before the boyfriend of the hour popped up into view. “For the last time, I’m not telling you — “ Tagora paused, leaned forward, and squinted. “What the hell are _you_ doing there, Xigisi?” 

Galekh gripped the back of your chair and leaned down to glare at him. “We have several things to discuss.”

”Oh, do we? What do you want — and make it short, I don’t have time for your incessant monologuing right now.”

You heard a growl of frustration and leaned out of the way for the lovebirds to go wild. “Let’s get the most pressing issue out of the way first — it’s driving me absolutely insane. That _nonsense_ — “ He pointed over his shoulder to the coffee maker. “ — is an affront to trollkind. For someone who claims to have excellent taste in anything and everything, I am appalled that you consider _this_ garbage to be palatable. And to gift it to your moirail? Absolutely shameful."

Any shred of aloofness Tagora tried to maintain evaporated in an instant. ”Fuck you!” he snarled, slamming his hands on his desk. "Fuck you and fuck your snobbish opinions, you colossal moron! There is absolutely nothing wrong with that coffee!”

Galekh tisked. “I thought you knew better."

“I know not to have a rod shoved up my spinal crevice over something so minor. And consider this added to your ever-growing debt that is owed to me, plus an extra charge for wasting my time at work.” 

“My bank account is locked and loaded,” Galekh haughtily replied.

You balked at this entire exchange, staring wide-eyed at Tagora. “Hold on, you _actually_ charge your boyfriend?!”

”I actually do.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Galekh placed his hand on your shoulder. “Please know that I am flattered that you care so much on my behalf, but I assure you that I will always gladly meet Gorjek’s challenges head-on.” The light flickered across his glasses as he smiled ruefully. “After all, I cannot allow him to think I can’t afford to pay the bills."

Tagora chuckled darkly. ”See? His try-hard attitude works to my advantage. Never underestimate a highblood’s need to prove their wealth.”

“You are a sociopath,” you deadpanned. 

”Thank you," he said with a leer, and tucked his hands underneath his chin with a bored expression as he looked at Galekh once more. “What else did you want to bother me about?”

“You know very well what else — the damn subpoena you keep refusing to address!” 

Tagora’s gaze flickered to you for a moment. You could have sworn his skin lost some color. “You did _not_ ask her about it. Tell me you aren’t that embarrassing.” 

“I did — “

“You _fucking_ — “ Tagora ran a hand through his hair, ready to tear it out. "First of all, why the fuck are you coming to my moirail for advice? Find another quadrant to hivewreck into!”

Galekh briskly moved you aside, chair and all, and angrily pointed at the hologram. “How dare you accuse me of such indecent behavior! I would _never_ — "

“Boys, can we please get back to the hilarious issue at hand.” 

You earned yourself a curt glance from Galekh. “Why is it hilarious?”

You leaned back into your chair with all the swagger of a cat that caught the canary, smiling devilishly as you said, “Tagora, why don’t you explain what’s going on?” 

“I _really_ don’t want to.” 

“Someone’s gotta.” 

Tagora pinched the bridge of his nose, and with great difficulty forced out through clenched teeth, “The reason. Why I didn’t respond. Was because I thought the intent was obvious.” 

“What intent was that?” Galekh pressed on. “To drive me up a wall?” 

“More like for you to pin him against a wall,” you pipped in, and they both threw you scandalized looks. Judging by Tagora’s stuttering, you quickly realized you would be here all day if you didn’t say something. “Galekh, Tagora wants to get drunk with you in his office and pail.”

For someone with such a dirty mind, your moirail was blushing up a storm as he hid his face in his hands. Galekh was frozen beside you. “Excuse me,” he deadpanned, less a question and more of his thoughts racing to catch up with his speech. “I … what.” 

“This is so fucking embarrassing.” 

You didn’t know whether to laugh or cry for these morons and their convoluted love life. 

Several times Galekh attempted to speak, his eyes closed as though to shut the rest of the world out. He looked to be equal parts mortified and pissed, yet you could tell he was fighting to keep from quirking up the corner of his mouth. 

“I get it,” you said to him, patting him on his forearm. "It’s tough being mad when your boyfriend is thirsty for you — “

He groaned as Tagora laughed. “This is … “ Galekh finally looked at you, with much difficulty. “I am so sorry for troubling you with this _indecency."_

“Ugh, here we go with the dramatics.” 

You giggled. “Guys, it’s me we’re talking about. Indecent is my middle name.” Galekh rubbed the back of his neck, every motion still addled with awkwardness. Tagora was faring much better, watching Galekh with amusement as he leaned his head on his hand. You looked at him sternly. “If you had just spoken to him like a normal person, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“On the contrary, it’s fun to see him squirm.” He glanced at Galekh, who was glaring daggers at him. “We’ll talk about this later. Does that satisfy you?” 

Galekh stiffly nodded, his blush refusing to abate. You were tempted to tease them about their newfound role-play fetish, but you weren’t sure if your indigo pal could handle it. “Good going, Gor-Gor. You made my guest feel uncomfortable, and I only have an ancient government facility to entertain him with.” 

“You don’t have plans to leave, right?” You pursed your lips at the sneaky tone of his question. ”With it raining and all. Can’t have you melting.”

“Why, you worried I’ll crash your hive while you’re gone to see what you’re up to?” You gasped and glared accusingly at him. “Did you know it was gonna rain, Tagora? Did you trap me in my own home because you knew I couldn’t leave?” He chuckled in response. “I should let Galekh rescue me just to stick it to you, you bastard.” 

”He wouldn’t dare — “

“Actually, I have half a mind to do so,” Galekh chimed in, grinning wickedly as Tagora shouted obscenities in answer. _I guess the remedy for relaxation is to make him fight with Tagora,_ you thought to yourself.

”I told you to say the hell out of our business!” Tagora shrieked. "I don’t care how romantic you think it would be to get on my damn nerves like this, because I promise you, I will be far more pissed than I will be into it!” 

“Gross.” 

Galekh bemusedly side-eyed you before looking back at Tagora. “Whatever you’re planning must be important if you’re getting this riled up.”

_”Yes,_ and I would appreciate it if everyone minds their own business for the time being.” 

“Fine,” Galekh said, and you pouted.

“Boo, conspiring against me? After all the times I’ve expertly fanned the flames of this kismesissitude?” 

Tagora rolled his eyes, in stark contrast to the fond smile playing on his lips. “If we’re done here, I’d like to get back to work.” 

“Okaaay. And for the record, I love the coffee machine."

A pleased expression flickered across his face. “I am glad to hear that.” His eyes narrowed as he glanced at Galekh. “I’ll call you later.” 

“I will be waiting for an explanation,” he groused.

“Have a good day, Gor-Gor.”

“You too.”

And that was that. You smirked at Galekh’s lingering shyness; he really didn’t know what to do with himself. “We’ll pretend that never happened, okay?”

“I would greatly appreciate that.” 

You rose from your seat and pocketed your palmhusk. “Want a tour of the watchtower? There isn’t much left, but I’m sure you’ll find something to obsess over.” 

Galekh meekly smiled. “Lead the way,” he said, and murmured, “I could really use any kind of distraction right now.” 

“Yeah, that was a pretty rough revelation, finding our your boyfriend wants to desecrate his office with you — “

“Didn’t you just say you’ll forget this ever happened?”

“I did, but I also have terrible impulse control.”

Galekh sighed.


End file.
